Bengal elections: RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav to meet Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata today
On Sunday, the opposition leader from Bihar shared pictures of him meeting party functionaries in Kolkata on Twitter.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is scheduled to meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday to hold discussions regarding the upcoming assembly elections in the state. On Sunday, the opposition leader from Bihar shared pictures of him meeting party functionaries in Kolkata on Twitter. People familiar with the developments told HT on Sunday that both leaders may also discuss seat-sharing during Monday’s meeting.
A senior RJD leader also told HT that the party is keen on ensuring that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not gain a strong foothold in West Bengal and will also focus on helping parties fighting the polls against it in Assam. “Tejashwi is expected to meet the West Bengal CM. Our party’s main goal is to defeat the BJP in West Bengal and Assam. This is why we are keen on siding with parties strongly footed in these two states which are opposed to the saffron camp,” the party leader accompanying the former Bihar deputy chief minister said.
Last week, Yadav had also shared pictures of his meetings with Congress parliamentarian Ripun Bora and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal. He said he held discussions with both leaders regarding the upcoming elections in Assam. Tejashwi, who led the RJD in a closely fought election against the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) and the BJP last year, has been very vocal in his criticism of the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar. He also lent his support to the ongoing farmers’ agitation at Delhi’s borders and was seen taking a tractor to the Bihar legislative assembly last month during the state’s budget session to protest against the farm laws as well as the fuel price hikes.
The RJD has shown keen interest in fighting against the BJP in Assam as well as West Bengal both of which will go into polls in March. West Bengal will hold elections in eight phases starting from March 27 to April 29. Poll dates for the elections in West Bengal are March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Assam will head to the polls on March 27. The state will be holding elections in three phases beginning from March 27, April 1 and April 6. Votes will be counted on May 2.
