Opposition’s Poll Offer For Nitish Kumar? Tejashwi Yadav’s Explosive Reply

With the political temperature rising in poll-bound Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today responded sharply to rumours that his party had reached out to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to try and get him to switch political camps ahead of the election.

During a press meet, Mr Yadav was asked about rumours that his party was trying to get Mr Kumar, a former ally, to the Opposition camp that is gearing up for a big fight with the BJP in the state polls later this year.

Who gives you these ideas? why will we welcome him? There is no offer, don’t talk nonsense. No one other than Lalu (Yadav) ji and I is authorised to make offers, and no offer will be made,” he said.

The rumours of behind-the-scenes outreach between JDU and RJD are playing out against the backdrop of Mr Kumar’s history of flip-flops across the political aisle. Once RJD founder Lalu Yadav’s arch-political rival, Mr Kumar tied up with RJD in the 2015 state polls and the alliance scored a thumping win. Two years after the election, Mr Kumar walked out of the alliance and joined hands with the BJP to return as Chief Minister. JDU and BJP fought the 2020 polls in alliance, but Mr Kumar made another flip-flop two years later and returned to the Opposition camp. In 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the JDU chief made his latest switch and returned to the NDA. The BJP backed him as he took the oath for the ninth time.