Patna: Bihar deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav played down the demand to elevate him as the successor to chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Mr Yadav told reporters that the idea was being floated to create differences in the grand secular alliance. “Nitish Kumar is like my chacha and he will remain chief minister of the state,” he said.
His mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi had earlier triggered a debate by saying that “there have been demands from people to make Tejaswi Yadav chief minister of Bihar”.
JD(U) had later termed the statement by Rabri Devi as “personal views of RJD leaders”. JD(U) also maintained that Nitish Kumar was the tallest leader in the alliance government.
“Nitish Kumar is the most acceptable face in Mahagathbandhan today, and it’s the people who chose him as their chief minister,” JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak said.
Rabri Devi later clarified that the statement was “misinterpreted and Nitish Kumar will remain chief minister till the next Assembly elections”.
Tejaswi Yadav, the youngest son of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, is a first-time MLA and was anointed in the Cabinet as deputy chief minister after RJD won the largest number of seats in the Assembly elections.
Several RJD legislators, while calling him “youth icon”, had floated the idea to elevate Tejaswi Yadav as the next chief minister. Sensing the growing tension within the alliance, Lalu Prasad Yadav also played down the rumour.
