The once-warm political camaraderie between Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appears to be faltering amidst the ongoing Bihar assembly elections. While the duo were seen together, with Yadav driving, at the Vote Adhikar Rally in August, and publicly endorsed a united front against the government, recent developments suggest a growing rift.
Sources close to the leaders indicate that bitterness over seat-sharing arrangements and internal Congress evaluations of their party’s performance have created a wedge between them. This strain may also be affecting Rahul Gandhi’s campaign schedule in Bihar.
Currently, the two leaders are expected to hold only one more joint rally, possibly on November 9, as part of Gandhi’s extended campaign efforts over the next two weeks. While political functionaries maintain that the leaders are civil, a former warmth is reportedly missing.
The Opposition Grand Alliance, which aims to unseat Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has been navigating internal squabbles over seat distribution, with several seats still facing ‘friendly fights’. Despite public assurances from leaders like Congress general secretary Avinash Pande and RJD’s Mritunjay Tiwari that the alliance is strong, internal assessments suggest the Congress might struggle in about 25 of its 60 contested seats due to a lack of a clear campaign theme, fewer rallies, and coordination issues.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been quick to capitalize on these perceived rifts, with spokesperson Nikhil Anand stating that the contradictions between Gandhi and Yadav were evident even during the ‘Vote Chori Yatra’ and continue to surface, pointing to Gandhi’s absence at key RJD events. Anand further suggested that Tejashwi Yadav views Rahul Gandhi as a liability to his political ambitions.
While Yadav has focused his campaign rhetoric on job creation and opportunities for the youth, Gandhi has addressed broader national and international issues, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, allegations of electoral malpractice, and crony capitalism.
The alliance’s internal discussions regarding seat distribution were reportedly protracted, taking over 25 days. Even after reaching an agreement, dissent and anger were reported among party cadres regarding ticket allocations. Some Congress leaders, speaking anonymously, have commented that the momentum gained from the initial rallies may have been lost due to these internal challenges.