Tejashwi Yadav Declared Grand Alliance’s Chief Ministerial Face for Bihar Assembly Elections

Oct 2025 : After weeks of political uncertainty and intense internal wrangling, the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) in Bihar has finally declared Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference held at Hotel Maurya in Patna on Wednesday evening. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was deputed by the Congress high command to mediate between alliance partners, made the official declaration in the presence of senior leaders from all constituent parties of the Grand Alliance.

Speaking at the press meet, Gehlot said, “Tejashwi Yadav is a young and committed leader who has fulfilled his promises in the past. He has a long political journey ahead of him, and we are confident in his leadership. Therefore, we have unanimously decided to contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections under his leadership. He will be the chief ministerial face of the Grand Alliance.”

Gehlot also announced that Mukesh Sahni, the leader of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), would be the alliance’s nominee for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post.

The decision marks the end of weeks of internal disputes within the alliance—primarily between the RJD and the Congress—over seat-sharing arrangements and the choice of chief ministerial face.

According to the final agreement reached after several rounds of negotiations, the RJD will contest 143 seats, maintaining its dominant position within the alliance and leveraging its strong grassroots network, particularly among Muslim-Yadav (MY) voters.

The Congress, which had been demanding 70 seats—the same number it contested in the 2020 Assembly elections—faced resistance from the RJD, which cited its poor strike rate of just 27 percent in the previous election, where it won only 19 seats.

Sources said RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav was firm in his stance not to concede as many seats this time, given the Congress’s lackluster performance in 2020. The disagreement intensified earlier this week, prompting the Congress high command to step in and send Ashok Gehlot to Patna to resolve the impasse.

Gehlot held a series of meetings with Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav at the RJD chief’s residence. Following the discussions, he announced that “all issues have been amicably resolved” and that the alliance would contest the upcoming elections “with full strength and unity.”

Addressing the media after the meeting, Gehlot said, “All is well in the Grand Alliance. We will fight this election together with mutual respect and understanding. The friendly contests on some seats have been sorted out, and the alliance is moving forward as a united force.”

Another major sticking point had been the projection of the chief ministerial candidate. While the RJD and Left allies—the CPI-ML, CPI, CPI(M), and VIP—had earlier endorsed Tejashwi Yadav as their preferred leader, the Congress had maintained that the leadership question should be settled only after the election results.

However, after high-level consultations and intervention by the Congress leadership, the party agreed to back Tejashwi Yadav as the unanimous choice for the top post.

Political analysts view this announcement as a crucial morale booster for the Grand Alliance’s campaign. Tejashwi Yadav, who emerged as a strong opposition leader during the 2020 elections, continues to enjoy significant popularity among the youth and backward caste voters. His projection as the chief ministerial face, analysts say, is likely to energize the alliance’s cadre and consolidate its vote base.

The move is also being seen as a strategic counter to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which has presented a unified front under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. With internal rifts now reportedly resolved, the focus for the Grand Alliance shifts to campaign coordination and voter outreach across Bihar.

As the election battle heats up, the coming weeks will determine whether the Grand Alliance’s show of unity and its youthful leadership can translate into electoral success against the NDA’s seasoned machinery.

Team Maverick.