RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav became the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly after his party secured 25 seats in the recently concluded elections.
The recognition requires a party to hold at least 10 per cent of the House strength, which in Bihar’s 243-member assembly equals 25 seats.
Tejashwi retained his Raghopur constituency by defeating the BJP’s Satish Kumar with a margin of 14,532 votes. Although he trailed heavily in the early rounds of counting, he staged a dramatic comeback in the final hours. His victory ensured that the RJD met the threshold to claim the opposition leader’s post.
However, the nature of his win drew sharp criticism. Senior Congress leader Udit Raj accused the Election Commission of India and the BJP of manipulating the results to secure Tejashwi’s victory. He argued that the RJD leader trailed for most of the day, but the late turnaround raised questions about fairness.
Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan alliance suffered a major setback. The RJD’s seat tally dropped steeply from 75 in the previous election to just 25. Its ally, the Congress, also faced losses, winning only six of the 61 seats it contested compared to 19 earlier.
Despite the alliance’s poor performance, Tejashwi’s elevation as Leader of Opposition gives the RJD a crucial role in the Assembly. His leadership will be tested as he navigates a weakened opposition space while facing criticism over the election outcome.
