Tejashwi Yadav Says Meeting With Kharge 'Positive', Next Talks To Be Held In Patna
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Tuesday that his meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was positive and that the next round of talks will be held in Patna.
The former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister arrived in the national capital earlier in the day for an official meeting with Kharge to discuss seat-sharing and poll strategy for the upcoming Bihar elections. The meeting was also attended by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and RJD MP Manoj Jha.
"We had a meeting and had positive discussions," Yadav told reporters after the meeting, adding the next talks will be held on April 17 in Patna.
The RJD leader said that a discussion would be held on the chief minister's face and the candidate would be decided unanimously.
"Even after 20 years of NDA government in the state, Bihar is the poorest state... We will discuss and unanimously decide on the CM face... 'Nitish Ji to hijack ho chuke hain'... NDA is not forming the government in Bihar this time...," he said.
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Pashupati Paras Breaks Away From NDA
While the Mahagathbandhan is seeking to consolidate its position in the state ahead of the polls -- expected to be held roughly six months later -- the NDA suffered a blow after Pashupati Kumar Paras announced exiting the ruling alliance.
On Monday, the former Union minister announced that his Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) was no longer with the BJP-led NDA, which has chosen to back his estranged nephew Chirag Paswan.
"I have been with the NDA since 2014. Today I announce that henceforth my party shall have no links with the NDA," he announced at an event in Patna on the occasion of BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary.
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