The principal rival fronts in Bihar have finally announced incumbent Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav as their respective chief ministerial candidates after weeks of speculation and haggling. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), around the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - Janata Dal (United) axis, and the Mahagatbandhan, or Grand Alliance, around the Indian National Congress - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) axis, are caught in their internal games of one-upmanship. The delay in the announcements by both fronts suggests that their chief ministerial candidates are more a result of compulsions than any convergence of minds. The BJP had clearly indicated in recent weeks that the choice of Chief Minister would remain open before it made a turnaround to endorse Mr. Kumar for yet another te

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