People of Bihar want Tejashwi as CM: Elder sister Rohini Acharya

Patna, Aug 26 (PTI) RJD leader Rohini Acharya on Wednesday said it was "the wish of the people of Bihar" that Tejashwi Yadav, her younger brother, becomes the next chief minister.

She was responding to a query from journalists here about the apparent reluctance of ally Congress to declare the young leader as the chief ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

"It is the wish of the people of Bihar that Tejashwi becomes the chief minister. When the time comes, a formal announcement will also be made. I do not see any reluctance (on the Congress's part)," she said.

The question was posed in the backdrop of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sidestepping a query on the issue at a recent press conference, where Yadav, who has been accompanying the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha for 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', was also present.

Acharya, who had made an unsuccessful debut from Saran in the Lok Sabha polls last year, was also asked about Tej Pratap Yadav, who is elder to Tejashwi and, upon expulsion from the RJD, has floated his own outfit.

"What can I say in this matter? In a democracy, all have a right to float parties and contest polls," she said.

The 46-year-old leader was also asked about speculations that Nishant, the only child of her father's arch-rival Nitish Kumar, the Bihar Chief Minister, may enter politics to fill the vacuum in the JD(U) that lacks a second rung leadership that could take over from his father.

"I have known Nishant for a long time. We have played together as children. Anybody who has the passion to serve the people should be welcome in politics," Acharya said. PTI NAC ACD