The opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) on Thursday officially announced RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming November assembly elections. The declaration was made by senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at a joint press conference in Patna, where he also confirmed Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani as the alliance’s nominee for deputy chief minister. The announcement came after intense deliberations within the INDIA bloc and RJD’s push to secure Tejashwi’s nomination, ending weeks of speculation over the opposition’s leadership face for Bihar.

The press conference, however, sparked controversy as photographs of other INDIA bloc leaders were missing from the backdrop, featuring only a large image of Tejashwi Yadav, which went viral on social media. Addressing the media, Gehlot emphasized the unity and strength of the opposition, asserting that the alliance would contest the elections with full force and energy. Tejashwi Yadav expressed gratitude toward his coalition partners, stressing that his focus is not the post itself but building a “new Bihar,” pledging to achieve in 20 months what the current NDA government has not accomplished in two decades. Taking a clear dig at the ruling party, Tejashwi highlighted that even Union Home Minister Amit Shah had confirmed that Nitish Kumar would not return as chief minister, urging the NDA to publicly declare its CM candidate.

The press conference also clarified the role of Mukesh Sahani, who has long insisted on the deputy chief minister post and had been willing to trade off some assembly seats in exchange for the position. Gehlot mentioned that other social groups would also have deputy chief ministers if the INDIA bloc forms the government, reflecting the alliance’s inclusive approach. CPI-ML (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya expressed confidence that Bihar is ready for a leadership change, and Gehlot confirmed that the opposition campaign would commence shortly. The announcement comes amid growing political tension, signaling that the opposition bloc intends to present a united and formidable challenge to the ruling NDA in the state.