Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), stated that there is “no confusion” regarding the chief ministerial candidate for the Mahagathbandhan alliance ahead of the Bihar assembly elections. Launching his “Bihar Adhikar Yatra,” Yadav emphasized that the opposition will unveil its chief ministerial face at the appropriate time.
“There is no confusion in our alliance. The people are the owners of Bihar, and they decide on the chief minister. This time, they desire change. Ask anyone in Bihar whom they want to see as chief minister, and you will get a clear answer,” Yadav remarked. He reiterated, “There is no confusion regarding the chief minister’s face in our alliance, and it will be announced when time comes.”
Previously, the former deputy chief minister urged the people of Bihar to support him across all 243 constituencies, saying, “Tejashwi will contest all 243 seats. Whether in Bochahan or Muzaffarpur, Tejashwi will fight. I appeal to all of you to vote for me. Together, we will work to advance Bihar and unseat the current government.”
During the “Voter Adhikar Yatra,” Yadav identified himself as the chief ministerial candidate for the opposition INDIA bloc. At a rally in Ara, the final stop of the Yatra, he criticized the Nitish Kumar government for allegedly imitating his policies, dubbing it a “copycat government.” He provocatively questioned the audience, “Tejashwi aage-aage, sarkar pichhe-pichhe. Original CM chahiye ki duplicate?” which translates to, “Tejashwi is moving ahead while the government follows behind. Do you want a duplicate CM or the original CM?”
The situation regarding seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming assembly elections has become complicated with two new parties—the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the faction led by Pashupati Paras’s LJP—joining the Mahagathbandhan alliance. The division of the 243 seats among eight parties, including RJD, Congress, CPI, CPM, VIP, LJP (Paras), and JMM, is increasingly contentious, as major parties hold firm on their seat requirements. Congress has stated it cannot settle for fewer than 70 seats, while VIP chief Mukesh Sahani demands 60 seats along with the deputy chief minister position. The CPI-ML is also pushing for at least 40 seats, citing past performance, and the RJD has expressed it will not contest fewer than 150 seats.
In the 2020 assembly elections, RJD contested 144 seats and won 75, while Congress secured 19 out of 70 contested seats. The CPI-ML won 12 out of its 19 seats, the CPM won 2 out of 4, and the CPI obtained 2 out of 6 contested.
