Relations between Nitish, Tejashwi souring after Lalan Singh's statement?

Patna: All doesn't seem well between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, following JD-U President Lalan Singh's statement that there is no decision on the leader for 2025, as an incident during the Kisan Samagam held in Bapu Sabhagar here on Tuesday indicated.

The programme was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and Nitish Kumar reached at the right time and sat on the chair reserved for him. There were other ministers and officials present there but the chair for the Deputy CM next to him was empty.

As per the protocol, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has to come well before the Chief Minister but here in Kisan Samagam, Nitish Kumar came at the right time but Tejashwi Yadav did not. Nitish Kumar, from time to time, was soon looking at the entrance to see if Tejashwi Yadav was coming. He once also lost his cool and slammed a farmer who was delivering his suggestion from the dais and using English words.

Tejashwi Yadav finally arrived at the venue at 1 p.m. and sat at the chair reserved for him.

Sources claim Tejashwi Yadav deliberately came late to give a message to Nitish Kumar after the statement of Lalan Singh.

Lalan Singh on Monday claimed that Nitish Kumar will be the Chief Minister till 2025 and the CM face of Mahagathbandhan for 2025 Assembly election has not been decided yet. Following the statement of Lalan Singh, JD-U national General Secretary K.C. Tyagi went a step ahead, telling media persons in Delhi that Nitish Kumar will not only lead Bihar in 2025 but also in 2030 as well.

Lalan Singh's statement came soon after Upendra Kushwaha resigned from the primary membership of the JD-U, to express his opposition to Nitish Kumar's announcement that he would hand over his political legacy to Tejashwi Yadav. Nitish Kumar had also announced several times that Tejashwi Yadav will be the CM face of Mahagathbandhan in 2025.