Veteran leader Sharad Yadav on Tuesday termed Tejashwi Yadav as the only leader who has the capability to lead the RJD in Bihar.

“No Misa Bharti, no Tej Pratap Yadav, I strongly believe that Tejashwi is the only leader who has the capacity to take the party forward from here on.

“Whatever I and Lalu Prasad Yadav did with politics in the country, Tejashwi will follow the same ideology in his political career. We have handed over our political legacy to him. He is all in the party and he is the only one who takes decisions on behalf of the party,” he said.

Sharad Yadav’s statement, which came as Tejashwi Yadav called on him at his residence in New Delhi, comes as a step forward for the young leader to present himself as the candidate for his party’s national President.

Tejashwi Yadav, after the meeting, said that Sharad Yadav is like his guardian and he always gives important political suggestions in the context of Bihar and the country. “I came here to take blessing and guidance from him,” he said.

“I am not the only one but all leaders and workers have the contribution of running the party,” he added.

Earlier, current national President Lalu Prasad Yadav, during the National Executive Committee meeting in Patna, ruled out the chances of handing over the top post to any of his family members.

Tejashwi Yadav was projected as the prime contender for the national President post by his supporters earlier. Besides him, Lalu Prasad’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti and his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav are also in the race.

Considered as the most respected socialist leader of Bihar, Sharad Yadav has a great political sense. He has given several political tips to Lalu Prasad Yadav during the latter’s Chief Ministerial tenures as well as when he was Union Minister.

However, he has been ill for the past few months, and his Rajya Sabha tenure is also ending later this year. Despite this, several senior leaders from the state including former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, JD-U parliamentary board President Upendra Kushwaha, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Chirag Paswan and his mother Reena Paswan had called on him recently.