RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui debunks Tejashwi Yadav's 'Jananayak' credentials amid Bihar poll frenzy

Patna, Oct 26 (IANS) A candid remark from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) principal general secretary Abdul Bari Siddiqui has stirred ripples within the party's ranks, casting doubt on Tejashwi Yadav's readiness to be hailed as Bihar's "Jananayak" (leader of the masses).

Siddiqui, a seven-time MLA, former finance minister of Bihar, and a close aide of RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav, in a recent interview with IANS, acknowledged the younger Yadav's inheritance of his father's legacy but insisted he has yet to cultivate the requisite qualities for such a mantle.

"Tejashwi is striving to meet the aspirations of backward classes, but it will take time," Siddiqui told IANS, adding, "Only if he adheres to the ideals of Karpoori Thakur and Lalu ji, emulating their vision steadfastly, will the public truly see him as their saviour."

Siddiqui's measured assessment, coming from a founding member and Lalu's trusted confidant, underscores subtle fault lines in the RJD as the Mahagathbandhan gears up for the Assembly elections to be held in November.

It echoes lingering family dynamics, with elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav—once a vocal critic—having reportedly chafed at Tejashwi's elevation as the alliance's chief ministerial face. Though Tej Pratap has since reconciled, past episodes, including his 2019 independent candidacies, highlight the Yadav siblings' uneven path to party dominance.

The timing revives memories of a February 2025 RJD poster war, when a cheeky billboard near Rabri Devi's residence depicted Tejashwi charging ahead on a galloping horse, lantern in hand, towards a "2025" milestone, while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar trailed sluggishly on a tortoise's back, a chain dangling from its neck.

"Tejashwi government is coming. Things would move at the same speed as during the 17-month period," it proclaimed, alluding to the 2022 Mahagathbandhan stint under which Tejashwi, as deputy CM, spearheaded 10 lakh youth jobs. The visual, unveiled amid early poll buzz, drew sharp rebukes from JD(U) as juvenile propaganda.

With elections looming on November 6 and 11, Siddiqui's words on Sunday inject caution into the hype. The Mahagathbandhan's unity—formalised on October 23 with Yadav as CM pick and Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani as deputy—faces NDA's counter-narrative of development, including 1.5 lakh km of rural roads.

Analysts view Siddiqui's intervention as a pragmatic nudge rather than dissent, urging Tejashwi to deepen his connect with Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) and Dalits beyond the core Muslim-Yadav base.

As helicopter rallies kick off from Raghopur, the insider's scepticism tempers the gallop, reminding that Bihar's verdict hinges not just on legacy, but on proving the pace.

--IANS

sktr/uk