RJD Kerala assembly polls plan: Tejashwi Yadav says party will contest with LDF

RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav says the party will contest the Kerala assembly elections as part of the ruling Left Democratic Front. He made the statement after meeting Mahagathbandhan legislators ahead of voting for five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar. The move highlights shifting alliances between Congress and CPIM across states.

Rashtriya Janata Dal working president Tejashwi Yadav said on Sunday that the party will fight the upcoming Kerala assembly polls with the ruling Left Democratic Front. The LDF is facing the Congress-led United Democratic Front in the state. Yadav said the RJD aimed to support the LDF’s bid to stay in power.

Yadav made the statement after meeting legislators of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. The meeting took place hours before voting for five Rajya Sabha seats in the state. One of the five seats is being contested by the RJD. The voting was scheduled for Monday in the Bihar assembly.

Kerala assembly polls and RJD with LDF

Yadav said, "In Kerala, our party will contest the assembly polls as part of the LDF. Our party has had a presence in the Kerala assembly in the past. We hope to help the LDF retain power in the state,\" Yadav said. The Congress and the CPI(M) are opponents in Kerala. Yet both work together in Bihar under the Mahagathbandhan.

Rajya Sabha polls in Bihar and Mahagathbandhan numbers

The RJD has 25 MLAs in the 243-member Bihar assembly. The party is also counting on 10 MLAs from other Mahagathbandhan partners. It is also looking to five MLAs of Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Support is expected from one MLA of Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party as well.

Mahagathbandhan MLAs were asked to stay overnight at a hotel in Patna. MLAs of AIMIM and BSP were also invited for the night stay. The group was expected to travel together to the assembly on Monday. The plan was aimed at ensuring members remained present for voting.

Rajya Sabha polls in Bihar and candidates in fray

Six candidates are contesting for the five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar. The RJD has fielded sitting MP Amarendra Dhari Singh. Five other candidates are from the ruling National Democratic Alliance. The NDA list includes Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal United and MLA Nitin Nabin.

During the build-up, rumours circulated about four of the Congress’s six MLAs being missing. The talk led to concern about possible cross-voting. Former state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh visited the hotel to review arrangements. Akhilesh Prasad Singh said, \"All four MLAs are at my residence. There is no problem in the Mahagathbandhan, which is all set to win the Rajya Sabha seat. The NDA should worry about itself. We have learnt that 20 of their MLAs are traceless.\"

The comments came as parties prepared for a tight contest in the Bihar assembly. The RJD and allies focused on keeping their numbers intact until the vote. At the same time, Yadav’s Kerala announcement signalled a wider role for the RJD. The party said it would align with the LDF for the coming Kerala polls.

With inputs from PTI