RJD Symbols Recalled from Leaders After Tejashwi Yadav Returns from Delhi

In a bizarre twist ahead of Bihar's Assembly elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav distributed party symbols to ticket aspirants on Sunday evening, only for the leadership to recall them late at night shortly after his son Tejashwi Yadav returned from Delhi. The abrupt reversal has baffled party insiders and fuelled speculation of internal discord or last-minute adjustments to the Mahagathbandhan's elusive seat-sharing pact, with nominations for the first phase due by October 17. Visuals of crowds outside Lalu's residence at 1, Circular Road, with leaders clutching then surrendering yellow envelopes containing endorsement documents, have gone viral, amplifying the pre-poll chaos.

Lalu, who returned from medical treatment in Delhi earlier that day, was mobbed by hopeful candidates upon arriving home. Sources indicate that select aspirants, tipped off by party calls, entered the premises and emerged beaming with symbols—allotted for constituencies like Parbatta and Matihani. Among recipients were Sunil Singh, a recent defector from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), and former MLA Narendra Kumar Singh, alias Bogo, signalling RJD's aggressive poaching strategy to woo Bhumihar voters traditionally aligned with the BJP-led NDA. However, Tejashwi's arrival around midnight triggered a flurry of phone directives: all symbol-holders were summoned back to return the documents, leaving many in the lurch without clear explanations.

RJD leaders expressed confusion over the recall, with senior figure Ashraf Fatmi dismissing circulating social media photos as "AI-generated fakes" and insisting no symbols were officially issued. The episode echoes Lalu's impulsive style, as seen in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when he preemptively announced candidates before alliance consensus, forcing partners to acquiesce. This time, the timing coincides with Tejashwi's Delhi meetings with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on seat-sharing, where Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru and others were present. Sources suggest the premature distribution may have irked allies like Congress, which is pushing for over 70 seats but settled for 61 in informal talks, prompting a hasty retraction to avoid derailing negotiations.

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The Mahagathbandhan—comprising RJD, Congress, Left Front (29-31 seats), Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party (16 seats), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and Rashtriya Lok Janashakti Party—has been locked in hard bargaining, with formal announcements expected this week alongside a joint manifesto. Polls on November 6 and 11, with results on November 14, hinge on unity against the NDA's 2020-style dominance. Analysts view the flap as symptomatic of RJD's Yadav-centric decision-making clashing with coalition imperatives, potentially eroding trust at a critical juncture. As aspirants await clarity, the incident underscores Bihar's high-stakes chessboard, where a single misstep could splinter the opposition's bid to unseat Nitish Kumar.

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