Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday indicated the party’s acceptance of RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial candidate for the INDIA alliance in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Speaking to the media during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Patna, Khera said, “We are contesting on issues. The faces are in front of you. All is known to everyone.”
When pressed on why Congress had backed Tejashwi in 2020 but is hesitant to declare him as the CM face this time, he replied metaphorically, “When the Sun is shining bright in the sky, you do not need to declare it.”
Khera also dismissed claims by NDA leaders, including Union minister Chirag Paswan, that holding the CWC meeting in Patna was a show of strength by Congress in a state where it is considered weak.
“There is no show of strength among brothers,” he said.
On seat-sharing within the INDIA alliance, which includes CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(M), CPI, and Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insan Party, Khera said details would be shared soon.
Responding to questions about the significance of holding the CWC meeting in Bihar for the first time since Independence, Khera said “Even vote theft has taken place for the first time.”
He accused the BJP of complacency and arrogance, alleging it relied on vote manipulation to retain power while ignoring critical issues like unemployment.
“The CWC meeting here is not just about Bihar elections. It’s about strengthening the foundations of our democracy,” Khera said.
(With inputs from PTI)