'Wait and watch': Tejashwi Yadav on INDIA bloc talking to former allies

Amid suspense over whether the TDP or the JD(U) might join the opposition alliance, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday, 5 June, asked people to "wait and watch".

Yadav, who travelled to Delhi from Patna in the same flight as Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar did, fuelling speculations on whether there were attempts to get him to the opposition's camp, said their interaction in the flight was limited to exchanging courtesies.

Asked if the opposition INDIA bloc is looking at getting the numbers to stake a claim to government formation, Yadav said, "We have come for the meeting today. Have patience, wait and watch what happens."

Yadav also said that 'Bihar' has emerged as 'kingmaker' in this election, and hoped that the 'kingmaker' will ensure that the new government gives a special status to Bihar, conducts caste census across the country and add the 75 per cent reservation for Bihar into the 9th Schedule of the Constitution, which will exempt it from judicial review.

"Bihar has emerged as the kingmaker. Whichever government comes, the kingmaker should ensure that Bihar gets a special status, the 75 per cent reservation we gave, that should be brought under Schedule 9, and caste census should be conducted across the country," Yadav said.

He also hailed the Samajwadi Party candidate's victory in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh.

INDIA bloc leaders will meet at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Wednesday, 5 June, evening to decide on the strategy to form the government.

Opposition leaders including Sharad Pawar, M.K. Stalin, Champai Soren, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, Sitaram Yechury and D. Raja are likely to attend the meeting, along with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.