Patna, Jan 9 (PTI) Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Thursday defended RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose reported comment that the INDIA bloc was "only for 2024 Lok Sabha polls" has kicked up a political storm.

Singh pointed out that the remark was made with reference to the upcoming assembly polls in Delhi, where the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, both INDIA bloc partners, are contesting separately.

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"Tejashwi Yadav spoke about assembly polls in Delhi where we had contested the Lok Sabha polls together, but are now fighting separately. It is nothing unusual. Even in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress and AAP contested separately in Punjab, which is another state ruled by that party (AAP),” the former Union minister said.

The Rajya Sabha MP added "there need not be misgivings about our alliance in Bihar, where the Congress and RJD have been together for long".

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Yadav had recently told reporters in Buxar district that there was nothing unusual about the Congress and AAP fighting separately in Delhi, where they had come together "only for the Lok Sabha polls".

He also said the RJD has not yet decided whether it would contest Delhi assembly polls in alliance with the Congress, but in Bihar, where elections are due later this year, the picture was clear as "we have been together for long".

INDIA bloc partners, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, have reacted to Yadav's statement, suggesting that the coalition be brought to an end if allies felt it was not needed after the Lok Sabha elections.

Singh also disclosed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was likely to visit Bihar later this month.

He said "the tour is proposed on January 18. Tomorrow, a meeting is scheduled in Delhi. We will confirm the schedule thereafter".

Asked about RJD president Lalu Prasad's recent comment that "doors were still open" for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Singh said "doors must always be kept open in politics. Moreover, the JD(U) president has a socialist background and ideologically we are on the same page".

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