Lalu begins candidate hunt as polls approach
2
Patna:
Rashtriya Janata Dal
(RJD) chief
Lalu Prasad
on Saturday announced that a party-led survey is underway to identify "suitable candidates" for the upcoming
Bihar assembly elections
, adding that the final selection would be made in consultation with his son and party's chief ministerial face,
Tejashwi Prasad Yadav
.
"A survey is underway to pick candidates from among you. I will take the final decision after consulting Tejashwi," Lalu told RJD workers while addressing a meeting of the party's national council meeting here. The gathering ratified Lalu's election as RJD president for the 13th consecutive term since the party's inception in 1997.
The announcement comes as Tejashwi has repeatedly urged ticket aspirants to avoid lobbying at party offices.
"Everyone has the right to stake a claim for a ticket, but stop doing 'Ganesh Parikrama' (sycophantic rounds). Those who wish to contest must instead do 'Janata Ka Parikrama' — go to the people, understand their concerns," he said.
Lalu, in his speech, thanked the party cadre for their consistent support and called on them to work with dedication to entrust a "bigger responsibility" to Tejashwi. He urged party workers to intensify outreach in villages and educate people about the govt's policies, alleging that the BJP was acting against the interests of the poor.
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He stressed that only loyal and committed workers would be considered for election tickets.
Despite health concerns, Lalu said he remains actively involved in party affairs. "Every evening, I ask Tejashwi about the day's developments. I won't bow to any pressure," he added.
In his address, Tejashwi took a combative stance against the Centre, directly accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing public funds for electoral gains. "Each visit by the PM costs the exchequer Rs 100 crore. What is shocking is that the world's richest political party is using public money from one of India's poorest states, Bihar, to launch its poll campaign and target the Lalu family — instead of granting special status to the state," he alleged.
While Lalu and Tejashwi's speeches energised the party base, the tone remained focused on building momentum ahead of the 2025 assembly elections with calls for discipline, groundwork and solidarity.
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