The long-awaited announcement regarding the Mahagathbandhan’s Chief Ministerial face for Bihar is expected to be made at a key press conference scheduled for Thursday. Speculation is mounting that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will finally be declared the alliance’s CM candidate.

The venue for the press conference, Maurya Hotel, Patna, already hints at the announcement’s importance. The event banner prominently features the election symbols of all Mahagathbandhan partners but showcases only a large photograph of Tejashwi Yadav, alongside the hashtag #BiharMaangeTejashwiSarkar (“Bihar demands Tejashwi government”), further fueling expectations.

This will mark the first joint press conference of the Mahagathbandhan since the announcement of Bihar’s election dates. The last time alliance leaders shared the stage was on September 24, during the launch of the ‘Ati Pichhda EBC Sankalp Patra’ in Patna, which was attended by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, and Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani.

Prior to this, the alliance had collectively participated in Rahul Gandhi’s fortnight-long ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, covering over 25 districts across Bihar.

This development follows a meeting held on Wednesday between Tejashwi Yadav, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, and the party’s Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru. The trio also met with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna, signalling crucial alignment within the alliance.

While the Congress has maintained a cautious silence about the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya expressed growing impatience within the alliance over the delay in officially naming Tejashwi Yadav as the CM candidate.

“Tejashwi’s name as the Opposition’s CM candidate could be officially announced at the joint press conference on Thursday. The entire state of Bihar knows Tejashwi will be the CM if the Opposition bloc secures a majority,” Bhattacharya said.

On the other hand, Ashok Gehlot adopted a more measured tone, stating only that “all confusion” would be resolved at Thursday’s press event.

So far, the Congress has been circumspect about endorsing Tejashwi Yadav as the unanimous choice for the CM post. Notably, the party has also refrained from reciprocating Tejashwi’s public endorsement of Rahul Gandhi as the Mahagathbandhan’s prime ministerial face for the 2024 general elections.