POLITICS

Tejaswi Yadav to be declared Mahagathbandhan CM candidate in high-powered meet soon

The Mahagathbandhan in Bihar is on the verge of officially announcing Tejashwi Yadav as their Chief Ministerial candidate, signifying a major move in the upcoming Assembly elections. As the largest constituent of the alliance, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is pushing strongly for Tejashwi's leadership, with him expected to contest a substantial share of seats, around 135-140. However, the Indian National Congress remains hesitant to give formal endorsement to his candidature amidst ongoing seat-sharing negotiations. This reluctance underscores the existing discord within the alliance, particularly between the RJD and Congress.

A significant point of contention involves five key seats—Baisi, Bahadurganj, Raniganj, Kahalgaon, and Saharsa—disputed between RJD and Congress, prolonging talks and highlighting internal friction. Despite these disputes, Tejashwi Yadav asserts there is no confusion regarding leadership within the alliance. His assertive claim to the CM candidacy reflects RJD's dominance, even as Congress cautiously awaits a unanimous decision from the broader INDIA bloc. The alliance is focusing on uniting efforts to defeat the incumbent NDA, but resolving internal disagreements remains critical for electoral success.

Financial scrutiny to tighten over Prashant Kishor’s Party, Jan Suraaj’s funding?

There is information that a financial scrutiny in funding of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is underway, sparked by allegations from political rivals and increasing media focus. Recently, senior JD(U) leaders announced plans to petition authorities including the Election Commission of India and Bihar Police’s anti-corruption wing—for an official investigation into Jan Suraaj’s financial sources, pointing to donations made via multiple companies and the Joy of Giving Foundation, which has been flagged for frequent director changes and suspected round-tripping. The JD(U) has also accused Jan Suraaj of receiving sizable contributions from companies based in states like Telangana and Karnataka, raising suspicions about the origin and intent of these funds.

In response, Prashant Kishor has publicly disclosed his financial transactions, stating he earned ₹241 crore as a consultant over three years and paid substantial taxes, including ₹31 crore as GST and ₹20 crore as income tax. He claims to have donated nearly ₹98 crore to Jan Suraaj through transparent cheque payments and insists all party accounts are clean and government-monitored. Despite these clarifications, BJP leaders have characterised Jan Suraaj as a “political start-up based on fraud,” alleging Kishore raised hundreds of crores through shell companies, some allegedly linked to his relatives and associates. The party has launched a crowdfunding campaign for transparency, but these efforts have not curbed demands for a deeper probe, as political controversy intensifies ahead of the Bihar elections.