Patna: Ending weeks of speculation, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday officially announced that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will be the Chief Ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan alliance for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Gehlot said the decision was unanimous and reflected the unity within the Mahagathbandhan. “Everyone should be worried (about the situation in the country). This is why I can say that after consulting Kharge ji, Rahul ji, and others who are sitting here, that Tejashwi Yadav is the CM candidate for this election. He is a young person. He has a long future and the public will support him,” Gehlot stated.

Gehlot, named as Senior Election Observer by the AICC, said that people of Bihar want change as they struggle with multiple issues, including unemployment. He said that the way the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the centre was operating was a "threat to democracy".

"It is obvious to get worried about the condition of the country and the state. The situation is serious. The way the NDA government operates is a threat to democracy. There is polarisation. Nobody knows in which direction the country is heading. If you criticise, you are sent to jail - it doesn't matter if you are a journalist or activist. It is our responsibility to keep in mind what the country wants. The country is watching Bihar. The issue of unemployment remains. People want change," he added.

He also revealed that Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani will serve as one of the Deputy Chief Minister faces of the alliance, adding that more deputy CMs would be chosen from other constituent parties to ensure balanced representation.

"I was awaiting this moment for 3.5 years. The moment has now come. Not just VIP or Mukesh Sahani, lakhs of people of the party were waiting for this. BJP broke our party and poached our MLAs...At that time, we had pledged with Ganga jal in our hands - 'BJP ko jab tak hum todenge nahi, tab tak chhoddenge nahi'...Time has come, standing strong with Mahagathbandhan, we will form our Govt in Bihar and oust BJP from the state. Mahagathbandhan is united and strong. In the time to come, we will work and form our Government," he said.

 

Many prominent leaders of Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc were present on the occasion, including CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, Bihar Congress incharge Krishna Allavaru, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) convenor Mukesh Sahani, among others.

The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the National Democratic Alliance and the Mahagathbandhan.

The assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.