The INDIA bloc, ending weeks of intense speculation regarding internal divisions, officially declared former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections in November. The formal announcement, made on Thursday, positioned the 35-year-old leader as the alliance’s clear challenger to the incumbent NDA.

The declaration was delivered by senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who affirmed that the decision reflected a consensus among the coalition’s leadership. “The decision had been reached with the consensus of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition [in the Lok Sabha] Rahul Gandhi, and all alliance partners,” Gehlot stated.

Dual Deputy CMs Planned

In a significant move to consolidate key social groups, the bloc also announced that Mukesh Sahani, the chief of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), would serve as one of the alliance’s two Deputy Chief Ministerial faces.

“Along with this, we are declaring young comrade Mukesh Sahani [of the Vikassheel Insaan Party] as a deputy chief ministerial face for the alliance. One more deputy CM candidate will be announced later,” Gehlot added, while challenging the BJP to similarly declare its candidate for the top post.

The move to project both Yadav and Sahani is seen by political observers as a critical attempt to consolidate the alliance’s core OBC–Dalit–minority vote bank ahead of the crucial polls. Both the RJD and the VIP had been actively advocating for this dual projection.

Tejashwi Vows to ‘Build a Better Bihar’

Visibly grateful and assertive following the announcement, Tejashwi Yadav focused his reaction on the future of the state rather than personal ambition.

“We, the people of the Mahagathbandhan, do not just want to form a government or become chief minister — we want to build a better Bihar,” Yadav said. He extended his gratitude to the alliance partners for their trust and acknowledged his parents, former chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, alongside senior Congress leaders.

Strategic Shift for Congress

The formal endorsement marks a strategic pivot for the Congress party. Previously, senior figures like Rahul Gandhi had avoided directly endorsing Yadav, opting only to state that all partners were working with “mutual respect.” By formally backing Tejashwi, the Congress has recognized his proven local appeal and leadership potential among Bihar’s youth and backward communities.

This strategic clarity aims to avert the leadership vacuum that has historically hampered opposition coalitions, presenting a united and organized front to the electorate.

The 2025 Bihar elections are now shaping up as a direct generational and ideological contest. Yadav, the heir to the Mandal-era political legacy, successfully steered the RJD to emerge as the single largest party in the 2020 assembly elections. His campaign is positioning itself as the voice of change and economic renewal against the continuity offered by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has held the top post for nearly two decades.

If the INDIA bloc manages to wrest power, this clear projection of a leader, coupled with a unified message and credible social arithmetic, could mark the first major opposition victory in the state in a decade.

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