Independent MP Pappu Yadav, who recently made a remark about Rahul Gandhi being projected as the leader of the Grand Alliance in Bihar, today clarified that he didn't mean the position entailed the Congress leader being the Chief Ministerial face of the alliance. He also said steering clear of friendly fights is the responsibility of the RJD.
"We have always adhered to the dharma of alliance. We have not created the friendly fights. The RJD should withdraw its candidates from seats where they are up against Congress," he told NDTV's Padmaja Joshi in an exclusive interview.
About his comment on Rahul Gandhi, he said: "On one side is Narendra Modi, and on the other side is Rahul Gandhi. We are not saying that Congress will get the Chief Minister post."
The BJP, he added, has not declared a Chief Ministerial face anywhere, indicating this is why the two sides should project their biggest leaders.
Recently the 57-year-old leader had dubbed Rahul Gandhi the "biggest leader in the Grand Alliance" and should lead it.
Coming amid the unresolved issues in the Mahagathbandhan -- including seat share and the Chief Ministerial post for ally Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD's Tejashwi Yadav -- the comment had sparked a row.
Asked today if he thought Tejaswi Yadav will be the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance, Pappu Yadav sidestepped the question -- "the narrative is from Rahul Gandhi," he said.
The Congress is yet to acknowledge Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate. The stance, which started as what was seen as pressure tactic for seat sharing, has stayed in place now that the two allies have been completely unable to come to an understanding.
The parties have now started fielding candidates unilaterally, setting the stage for "friendly contests" in at least 12 seats.
This mark of rift within the Grand Alliance has brought cheer in the BJP camp.
The other fallout of the failure of seat sharing talks was the estrangement of ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
The ruling party of Jharkhand led by Hemant Soren has now withdrawn from the contest in Bihar, and said it would re-evaluate the alliance in Jharkhand. Both RJD and the Congress are part of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.
A six-time MP from Bihar, Pappu Yadav is the husband of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan and is known for having influence in the Seemanchal area of the eastern state.
