Bihar polls: Mahagathbandhan picks Tejashwi as CM face, Sahani as deputy

The Mahagathbandhan on Thursday officially announced Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial (CM) candidate for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, while Mukesh Sahani of the Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) was named as the Deputy Chief Minister (Deputy CM) nominee. The elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results due on November 14.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, serving as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Senior Election Observer, declared Yadav’s candidacy at a press conference. “After consulting Rahul ji, Kharge ji, and other leaders, we are confident that Tejashwi Yadav is the CM candidate. He is young, energetic, and has a long future. The public will support him,” Gehlot said.

After being named as the CM face, Tejashwi Yadav said the alliance partners have united “for the advancement of Bihar” and promised to overthrow the “useless” 20-year-old double-engine government in the state. “We do not just want to form the government or become the CM; we want to make Bihar. Together, we will complete in 20 months what the current government has not done in 20 years,” he asserted, while attacking the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The announcement comes amid growing tensions within the INDIA bloc (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) over seat-sharing, with leaders from Congress, VIP, and other allied parties reportedly clashing over constituencies. The controversy escalated when a banner at the press conference featured only Tejashwi’s photograph, leaving top INDIA bloc leaders absent. The poster sparked criticism and social media debate, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders claiming it exposed cracks within the alliance. Analysts view the move as RJD asserting its dominance and signalling Tejashwi as the undisputed CM face.

Sahani, who has led VIP through turbulent years marked by BJP poaching its MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly), said, “I have awaited this moment for 3.5 years. Together with Mahagathbandhan, we will form the government in Bihar and remove BJP from power. Our alliance is united and strong.”

Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya emphasised the inclusivity of the campaign, stating, “This election is for the youth, farmers, women, and the poor. Bihar is ready, and Mahagathbandhan will fight unitedly to win.”

The 2025 Bihar elections will primarily see a contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising BJP, Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP-RV), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM-S), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and the Mahagathbandhan, led by RJD and including Congress, CPI-ML, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and VIP. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has also staked a claim on all 243 assembly seats. Meanwhile, the NDA has officially named Nitish Kumar as its CM face.