§  Tejashwi Yadav vs Nitish: Bihar CM Face Battle Begins

§  Tejashwi Yadav Declared Bihar CM Face for 2025 Election

§  Ashok Gehlot Announces Tejashwi as Bihar CM Candidate

§  Bihar Election 2025: Tejashwi Yadav Named Mahagathbandhan CM

§  Mahagathbandhan declares Tejashwi Yadav as CM face for Bihar Election 2025. Ashok Gehlot makes official announcement. Get latest updates and analysis

Ashok Gehlot Officially Confirms RJD Leader as Chief Ministerial Candidate: In a major political development that reshapes the Bihar Election 2025 landscape, the Mahagathbandhan officially declared Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate on Thursday, October 23, 2025. Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made the historic announcement at a joint press conference held at Hotel Maurya in Patna, ending weeks of speculation and bringing unity to the seven-party opposition alliance ahead of the crucial November 6 and 11 polling.

Details & Context

The announcement came after extensive negotiations between Congress and RJD with Gehlot rushing to Bihar on Wednesday for critical meetings with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi at their residence. The press conference, attended by leaders from all Mahagathbandhan constituent parties including CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, VIP’s Mukesh Sahani and Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, showcased unprecedented unity in the opposition camp.

“We have all unanimously decided to support Tejashwi Yadav’s name as the next Chief Minister in this Bihar Election 2025,” Gehlot declared, emphasizing that the decision was taken collectively by all seven alliance partners. He described Tejashwi as a “young and dynamic leader” with a “long future ahead,” noting that people support leaders who have promising futures.

The announcement also included naming Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani as the alliance’s Deputy Chief Minister face with Gehlot indicating that additional Deputy CM positions from other backward sections could be created after the election results. This strategic move aims to consolidate backward caste votes crucial to Bihar’s electoral mathematics.

The press conference venue itself sent a powerful message—a large banner prominently featured only Tejashwi Yadav’s photograph alongside alliance symbols with the hashtag “Bihar Maange Tejashwi Sarkar” (Bihar Demands Tejashwi Government) displayed prominently. This visual representation underscored the RJD leader’s central role in the Mahagathbandhan campaign.

Quotes

·       Tejashwi Yadav, expressing gratitude for the confidence reposed in him, stated: “We have united not just to become Chief Minister or form a government but to build Bihar. All members of the Mahagathbandhan have placed their trust in me again and I thank them wholeheartedly”. He particularly thanked his parents Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, along with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for their support.

·       Taking a direct jab at the ruling NDA, Tejashwi questioned: “We have declared our CM face. But why hasn’t the NDA announced Nitish Kumar.? BJP has hinted multiple times that they are not going to make Nitish Kumar the CM candidate. Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the decision will depend on the strength of the legislative assembly”.

·       Ashok Gehlot also targeted the BJP-JD(U) alliance, asking pointedly: “Where is your CM candidate.? It doesn’t mean anything saying that Nitish Kumar will lead the NDA in the elections. Eknath Shinde had led the NDA alliance in the Maharashtra elections but someone else became the CM later”.

o   He added: “Our leader is clear—Tejashwi Yadav. Now you tell us, who is your leader.?”

·       VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, declared the Deputy CM face, emotionally recalled how “BJP broke our party and bought our MLA. From that time we took an oath that we won’t leave until we break the BJP. That time has come”.

Additional Information

The Bihar Assembly Election 2025 will be conducted in two phases across all 243 constituencies with polling scheduled for November 6 (121 seats) and November 11 (122 seats). Vote counting will take place on November 14, determining the political future of India’s third-most populous state.

The Mahagathbandhan comprises seven parties: RJD, Congress, CPI(ML)L, CPI, CPM, VIP and CPI(M), though seat-sharing arrangements remained unresolved even as the announcement was made. Internal conflicts had resulted in friendly fights in several constituencies with Congress, RJD and Left parties fielding candidates against each other in multiple seats.

The Congress initially hesitated to endorse Tejashwi as CM face before polls, creating tensions within the alliance. However with BJP’s Amit Shah repeatedly refusing to confirm Nitish Kumar as NDA’s CM candidate—stating that “elected MLAs will decide”—the Mahagathbandhan saw an opportunity to seize the narrative initiative.

Tejashwi, 36, served as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister from 2015-2017 and again from 2022-2024, gaining administrative experience and building a youth-focused political brand centered on employment generation and social justice. His campaign promise of creating 10 lakh government jobs resonated strongly with Bihar’s youth, who face high unemployment and outward migration.

The NDA, comprising BJP, JD(U), LJP(R) and smaller allies, has governed Bihar for most of the past two decades under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. However, Nitish’s repeated alliance switches—moving between NDA and Mahagathbandhan multiple times since 2017—have created voter fatigue and questions about political stability.

Read More: BJP Demands Swift Justice for Zubeen Garg: 50,000 Join Massive Nalbari Rally as SIT Probe Intensifies

Impact Analysis

The formal announcement of Tejashwi Yadav as CM face significantly alters Bihar’s electoral dynamics. By declaring their leader upfront, the Mahagathbandhan projects confidence and unity, contrasting sharply with NDA’s ambiguity about Nitish Kumar’s future role. This clarity may help consolidate opposition votes, particularly among youth and backward caste voters who identify with Tejashwi’s progressive messaging.

Political analysts note that the decision reflects RJD’s dominant position within the Mahagathbandhan with Congress ultimately accepting Tejashwi’s leadership despite initial reservations. The strategic inclusion of Mukesh Sahani as Deputy CM face aims to secure crucial Nishad (Mallah) community votes in riverine constituencies.

The announcement puts pressure on the BJP to clarify Nitish Kumar’s status, creating a potential wedge in NDA unity. At 74 with visible health concerns and 20 years in office, Nitish faces questions about whether this will be his “last election,” as Tejashwi pointedly suggested.

However, challenges remain for the Mahagathbandhan. Unresolved seat-sharing disputes with alliance partners contesting against each other in dozens of constituencies, could split opposition votes and benefit the NDA. The absence of photographs of other INDIA bloc leaders except Tejashwi on the press conference banner has already triggered internal criticism, with BJP highlighting potential fissures.

Conclusion

The Mahagathbandhan’s declaration of Tejashwi Yadav as chief ministerial candidate marks a decisive moment in Bihar Election 2025, transforming what was uncertain into a clear choice for voters. With polling just two weeks away, the battle lines are now firmly drawn: a young, dynamic leader promising change versus an experienced administrator seeking another term. As Ashok Gehlot’s announcement reverberates across Bihar’s political landscape, all eyes turn to how the NDA responds and whether Nitish Kumar will finally get the confirmation he seeks from his ally, the BJP. The answer to “who will be Bihar’s next Chief Minister” now has at least one clear contender, fundamentally reshaping the electoral narrative as November 6 approaches.

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