JOIN USPrashant Kishor takes potshots at Nitish Kumar over Tejashwi Yadav
Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Saturday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) shouldn't wait until 2025 and make deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, the chief minister.
Nitish had, last week, dropped hints that he was looking to pass on the mantle to his deputy Tejashwi Yadav. Kumar had said that the Mahagathbandhan will contest the next Assembly election in 2025 under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav.
Nitish Kumar had parted ways with the BJP in August this year and rejoined hands with Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi's RJD, reigniting the Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan.
In his address at Sheohar, as part of his Jan Suraj Padyatra, Prashant Kishor said, "No need to wait till 2025 to elect Tejashwi Yadav as CM. In their alliance, RJD has the biggest share. Nitish Kumar should make him CM. This will give Tejashwi a chance to work for 3 years and the public will have the opportunity to vote on the basis of his performance," according to an India Today report.
The Bihar CM's decision was supported by CPI(ML), which supports the Mahagathbandhan from outside. Its leader Mahboob Alam said, "The chief minister pointed towards Tejashwi ji and said he is the leader of the future, under whose leadership the 2025 assembly polls in the state would be fought. We are of the view that it will benefit the grand alliance which is fighting the communal forces represented by the BJP. Tejashwi ji is a young and energetic leader.”
On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which had to relinquish power last August due to a political storm asked Nitish to walk the talk.
"If Nitish Kumar wants to make someone his successor, he should show the moral courage to actually hand over power. He will not be able to do so because it would lead to a revolt in the JD(U). His party men are already upset over Tejashwi running the show through remote control," the publication quoted Nitin Nabin, a BJP MLA and former minister.