Bihar: In a significant move just two weeks ahead of the two-phase Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) formally announced RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial candidate on Thursday (October 23, 2025), ending weeks of speculation and internal wrangling.
The declaration, made at a high-profile press conference, was touted as a massive Show of Strength for the alliance, which includes the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress, and smaller allies. Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was rushed to Patna as a troubleshooter, confirmed the decision.
“After discussions with all senior leaders, we have decided that Tejashwi Yadav will be the CM face of Mahagathbandhan in the upcoming Bihar polls. He has a long future ahead,” Gehlot stated, emphasizing the unified stand.
To consolidate the backward class vote, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani was declared the Deputy Chief Ministerial candidate. Sahani, who holds sway in the Nishad community, had reportedly driven a hard bargain during the lengthy seat-sharing talks. Gehlot further promised that another backward class leader would be named a Deputy CM if the INDIA bloc comes to power in Bihar, signaling a strategic social engineering push.
The two-phase elections are scheduled for November 6 and 11, with results to be announced on November 14. The announcement on the very day of the last date for the withdrawal of candidates for the second phase gives the 35-year-old RJD leader and the broader alliance little time for a fully cohesive campaign.
Tejashwi Yadav, who will contest from his traditional Raghopur seat, thanked the alliance leadership, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, for placing their faith in him. He launched a scathing attack on the incumbent regime, stating, “We, the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan, do not just want to form the government or become the CM, but we want to work for Bihar… We will work together to kick out NDA’s double engine government, whose one engine is corruption and the other engine is crime.”
Despite the show of unity, the Mahagathbandhan leaders failed to fully clear the air on the complex seat-sharing arrangement. Sources indicate that the alliance is facing an internal challenge with around 10 seats seeing overlapping nominations, leading to ‘friendly fights’.
The RJD, the dominant force, has fielded 143 candidates, while the Congress is contesting 61 seats. The remaining seats have been distributed among allies like the CPI(ML) and Sahani’s VIP. With today being the last date for withdrawal, a failure to ensure single candidates on all seats could lead to a vote split, potentially benefiting the rival National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in what is widely expected to be a high-stakes, tightly contested battle.
The Mahagathbandhan used the occasion to turn the heat on the ruling NDA, challenging them to declare their Chief Ministerial candidate clearly. Tejashwi Yadav claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statements were proof that the BJP has decided not to let CM Nitish Kumar retain power after the polls.
“Injustice is happening with Nitish Kumar. No press conferences or confirmation of CM’s face has been done yet by NDA,” Tejashwi stated. However, late in the day, Union Minister Giriraj Singh attempted to dispel the notion, claiming that Nitish Kumar “was and remained the face of the NDA in Bihar.”
The formal projection of Tejashwi Yadav marks a crucial turning point for the Mahagathbandhan, offering a clear leadership alternative as the state braces for one of its most fiercely fought electoral battles.
