Tejashwi Yadav, not me, will be the CM face: Sharad Yadav

Putting all sorts of speculation to rest, former Union Minister Sharad Yadav on Wednesday clarified that Tejashwi Yadav will be the chief ministerial candidate of the Mahagatbandhan.

“I am not the face of the Mahagatbandhan. Since RJD is the biggest party in the alliance, its leader Tejashwi will be the chief ministerial nominee for the Bihar Assembly elections, slated for October-November this year,” said Sharad.

His remarks assume significance in the sense that three constituents of the Grand Alliance – RLSP, HAM and VIP – last week held a secret meeting in a posh hotel in Patna and proposed Sharad’s name to lead the alliance. “There is leadership crisis in the Grand Alliance in the absence of Lalu Prasad. It will be better if Sharad Yadav is projected as the GA’s chief ministerial candidate,” said RLSP chief and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, in the meeting which was not attended by the RJD or the Congress.

However, on Wednesday, Sharad put a lid to all speculations. He also ruled out formation of the Third Front. “I met Lalu Prasad in Ranchi on Saturday and spoke to him about the need to forge a united battle against the BJP-led NDA. Hope all misgivings will be removed soon,” said Sharad, who contested 2019 Lok Sabha elections as RJD candidate from Madhepura but lost in the Modi wave.