After weeks of internal disagreement and speculation, the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) in Bihar on Thursday formally announced Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming state Assembly elections.
The alliance partners announced it during a joint press conference at Hotel Maurya in Patna.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made the declaration in the presence of leaders from all constituent parties of the alliance.
Describing Tejashwi Yadav as a ‘committed and capable’ leader, Gehlot stated, “Tejashwi Yadav is young and a man of commitment. He has fulfilled all the commitments he had promised. He has a long career. Hence, we have decided to contest this election under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav. He will be our Chief Ministerial face.”
Gehlot also named Mukesh Sahani as the alliance’s nominee for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post.
The decision follows weeks of negotiations between the RJD and Congress over seat distribution and leadership within the coalition.
Under the agreed arrangement, the RJD will contest 143 constituencies, retaining dominance in its traditional strongholds among the Muslim-Yadav voter base.
The alliance had come under fire for its inability to finalise seat-sharing arrangements as the nomination deadline for the second phase drew closer.
Tensions reportedly escalated when the Congress demanded 70 seats, the same number it had contested in 2020, when it won only 19, achieving a strike rate of about 27 per cent.
Sources indicate that RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav resisted conceding that many seats this time. He reportedly cited the Congress’s disappointing past performance as the reason.
The impasse prompted the Congress leadership to step in. To address the issue, the party decided to send a senior leader to Patna. Ashok Gehlot, who also serves as the party’s Bihar election in-charge, was tasked with resolving the dispute.
Gehlot met with Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav at the RJD leader’s residence on Wednesday to work out a consensus.
After the meeting, he told reporters that all outstanding issues had been resolved and that the Grand Alliance would move forward as a united front.
“All is well within the Grand Alliance. We will fight this election together with full strength and unity. We have resolved the issues of friendly fights on some seats,” he noted.
Another point of contention had been the question of the Chief Ministerial candidate.
The RJD and Left partners, CPI-ML, CPI, CPI(M), and VIP, had long backed Tejashwi Yadav. However, the Congress had earlier suggested that the leadership decision be made only after the election results.
Following top-level talks, however, the alliance partners have now unanimously endorsed Tejashwi Yadav as their Chief Ministerial nominee.
Political observers view this decision as a morale boost for the opposition bloc, particularly among younger and backward caste voters.
Analysts also believe that the move aims to counter the ruling NDA’s unified projection of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
With the leadership question now settled, the focus now shifts to the next phase. The Grand Alliance must determine how effectively it can take its consolidated message to the electorate in the crucial weeks leading up to polling.
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