Bihar election | 'Bihar needs a second chance, and Tejashwi represents it': Manoj Jha

A day after Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav was formally declared the chief ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), THE WEEK met RJD’s Rajya MP, Manoj Jha. An academic-turned-politician, Jha spoke about the generational shift in Bihar politics, the challenges, and why he believes Tejashwi represents both ideological and policy change for the state. He says, if voted to power, Tejashwi would be an accessible, approachable CM

 

The confusion has been cleared as Tejashwi Yadav has been declared the CM face for the Mahagathbandhan. He’s up against a chief minister with a 20-year tenure. What kind of contest are we looking at?

Let me address the first part of your question. The confusion was never in the minds of the people of Bihar or the alliance partners. It was largely planted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ecosystem through a section of the media. With (Congress leader) Ashok Gehlot announcing Tejashwi’s name, that artificial curiosity has ended.

Bihar doesn’t know whether we are up against Nitish Kumar or his governance. The real issue is how the BJP has hijacked Nitish Kumar’s support base. The BJP seems unsettled — the Home Minister, Amit Shah, keeps saying they’re contesting under Nitish Kumar’s leadership but never mentions what happens after the election. It’s similar to Maharashtra — they went to polls with Eknath Shinde, but after the results, Devendra Fadnavis took charge. In Bihar, that won’t be so easy.

There’s also uncertainty in Nitish Kumar’s support base. Tejashwi Yadav represents not only a generational shift but also a change in issues. Instead of hate, he talks about hunger. Instead of rhetoric, he focuses on employment, social security, and increasing the salaries of Jeevika didis. His agenda on health and education shows that Bihar is undergoing a paradigm shift under his leadership.

Mukesh Sahani will be the deputy CM, and there’s talk of more deputy chief ministers to represent wider caste groups and vote banks. Is the Mahagathbandhan looking at three or four deputy CMs?

 I can’t spell it out now, but I’ve seen the BJP ecosystem suddenly express concern about minorities. Let me remind you — this party was built on the foundation laid by Laluji, and Tejashwi has only strengthened it. Our commitment to minorities has few parallels in India. As Ashok Gehlot said, all social groups will be represented. You’ll soon hear Tejashwi Yadav spell this out himself.

Tejashwi Yadav said, “I’ll have zero tolerance against corruption and crime, and even if my shadow indulges in wrongdoing, I’ll take action.” Is this aimed at countering the ‘Jungle Raj’ tag?

First, the term ‘Jungle Raj’ was coined by the Patna High Court in a case about municipal mismanagement, not governance. Laluji never used PR agencies for image makeovers, and neither does Tejashwi. That needs to be understood.

Any regime should be judged on data. From 1990 to 2005, RJD was in power. From 2005 to now, NDA has been. Let’s compare NCRB data — it’ll show who really delivered governance. Corruption today has seeped into every level — panchayat, block, thana. Tejashwi is clear: within 24 hours of taking office, he’ll act on any wrongdoing. A special cell will receive complaints and ensure immediate action.

What other issues are you highlighting in this election?

Bihar needs a second chance. It’s disheartening when national leaders visit Bihar only to say they’ve given us trains — as if our state’s purpose is to send labourers to Gujarat or elsewhere. That mindset must change.

Since 2020, Tejashwi’s focus has been employment. The unemployment rate in Bihar is alarming.

His next priorities are strengthening social security and expanding government jobs. Health infrastructure needs an overhaul. During his time as deputy chief minister, he started reforms and now has a blueprint ready. Education, health, jobs, social welfare — along with measures like 200 units of free electricity and subsidised LPG cylinders — form our core agenda.

You also promised a government job for every family. Critics say the numbers don’t add up.

People look only at the macro picture. Bihar’s budget needs to be restructured. When Tejashwi talks about jobs, it’s over a five-year span. There’s a difference between 'almost every family' and 'every family'. Many opportunities exist in the tertiary sector. With better planning and implementation, jobs can be created.

The INDIA bloc’s movement on SIR drew attention. You were a petitioner in the Supreme Court. Will that impact these polls?

Absolutely. People fought on the streets and in the courts. The message is clear: vote theft won’t be tolerated. People are alert now, and that’s the biggest outcome of our campaign. The Election Commission changed several processes after our intervention — they could’ve done it earlier, but at least the debate made them act.

In the NDA, Nitish Kumar is the CM face, but Chirag Paswan also has ambitions. What do you make of Nitish Kumar’s position?

My politics has always opposed Nitish Kumar, because he gave the RSS a foothold in Bihar. Despite that, I didn’t wish for his career to end this way — being made irrelevant in his own party. He’s now dictated to by others, and his core supporters are anxious and unhappy. The people controlling JDU today are not the ones who built it.

If there’s no clear majority, could RJD and Nitish join hands again?

Those bridges have been burnt — and not by us. Last time, Nitish approached us because the BJP was swallowing his party. Tejashwi agreed to work with him only on conditions like a caste survey and employment push. Bihar is ideologically clear; it knows the difference between tactics and ideology. I don’t see any possibility of a reunion. The battle lines are ideological.

There have been calls to review the liquor ban. What’s RJD’s stance?

The new outfit you mentioned (Jan Suraaj) has spoken about reviewing it. Our priority would be to identify alternative sources of revenue and strengthen infrastructure. Tejashwi is already in touch with experts on how to compensate for lost excise revenue through better systems.

What can Bihar expect if RJD returns to power?

An approachable, available, and accessible chief minister. No barriers between people and the CM. A government that focuses on peace, dignity, and daily progress.

Will the Bihar election results have a national impact?

India is a coalition of states. Any political churn in Bihar will naturally influence the larger national political framework.

 

India