RJD Election Symbol Controversy: Tejashwi Yadav Recalls Candidate Symbols in Dramatic Late-Night Development

The symbols were recalled after Tejashwi Yadav returned home from Delhi

In a dramatic late-night development that has stirred Bihar's political landscape, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders who had received party symbols for the Assembly elections yesterday evening were unexpectedly summoned and instructed to return them.

Party veteran Lalu Prasad Yadav, having just returned from Delhi, arrived at his residence to find numerous election ticket hopefuls gathered outside. Several aspirants, who apparently received calls from party leadership, were invited inside. They emerged shortly afterward carrying yellow envelopes, which reportedly contained documents confirming their candidacy as the party's official nominees.

Later that night, Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav, arrived at his Patna residence after his Delhi trip. Soon after, all RJD leaders who had been given symbols earlier that evening received phone calls directing them to visit the leader's home and surrender their symbols. Footage from late night shows large crowds gathered outside Lalu Yadav's residence.

Party officials have not provided clear explanations for why leadership requested the symbols be returned. Some leaders, including Ashraf Fatmi, insisted that no symbols were actually distributed and claimed that photos circulating on social media were "AI-generated."

Among those who received symbols in the evening only to return them later were Sunil Singh, who recently left Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), and former MLA Narendra Kumar Singh, also known as Bogo.

These unexpected events unfold while Mahagathbandhan parties have yet to formally announce their seat-sharing arrangements and constituency allocations. RJD's coalition partners include Congress, Left parties, Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and Pashupati Kumar Paras's RLJP. All alliance members are currently negotiating intensively for favorable seat distributions.

Elections in Bihar will take place on November 6 and November 11. The nomination deadline for the first phase is Friday (October 17), while for the second phase, nominations close on October 20. Results will be announced on November 14.