NEW DELHI: The Mahagathbandhan on Thursday announced Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate and Mukesh Sahani as the deputy CM face ahead of the Bihar assembly elections. While Tejashwi’s candidature was widely expected, Sahani’s unexpected rise – from a one-time NDA ally often dismissed by rivals to a key power centre within the alliance has become the defining development, signalling a shift in the coalition’s caste arithmetic and leadership dynamics.Behind the show of unity, however, tensions simmer. As Sahani celebrates his political revival, Congress appears to be the uneasy partner in this new equation. Grassroots dissatisfaction over ticket distribution, coupled with its declining influence in seat-sharing talks, raises questions about whether the grand old party is losing ground within Bihar’s opposition bloc.
Tejashwi formally declared CM face, Sahani named his deputy
The Mahagathbandhan formally announced Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial face for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Alongside, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani was declared the alliance’s deputy chief ministerial candidate.The announcement, made during a joint press conference of alliance partners in Patna, ended weeks of speculation over leadership and marked a new phase of coordination within the opposition bloc.Senior Congress leader and election observer Ashok Gehlot said, “All of us sitting here have decided that in these elections, we support Tejashwi Yadav as the CM face.” He confirmed that the Mahagathbandhan would contest the upcoming polls in complete unity, adding that Sahani would serve as Tejashwi’s deputy if the alliance comes to power.
Mukesh Sahani: From political exile to deputy CM face
Mukesh Sahani’s recent elevation marks a remarkable political comeback. The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) had originally been part of the Mahagathbandhan, but disagreements over seat-sharing—stemming from the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s reluctance to prioritise smaller allies—led Sahani to exit the coalition. He later joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and was allotted 11 seats in the 2020 Bihar elections. Although Sahani lost his own contest, his party managed to win four seats.Sahani was subsequently elected to the Bihar Legislative Council, albeit for a shorter term of one and a half years, which expired in July 2022.Once an NDA ally, Sahani faced political isolation after his fallout with the BJP. His decision to contest against the BJP in both the Bihar Legislative Council and Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections further marginalized him, with several VIP MLAs defecting to the BJP in 2022. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections, Sahani announced plans to field 160 candidates to “oust the incumbent BJP government,” and in Bihar, he fielded 55 candidates against his former ally—but none won. Following these setbacks, a BJP MLA suggested that Sahani’s political chapter in Bihar was over, hinting at his removal as minister and even a potential internal coup within the VIP. Sahani also defied NDA seat-sharing arrangements in the Bihar Legislative Council elections, fielding seven candidates against the BJP once again.In 2025, however, Sahani has staged a political revival, now named the deputy chief ministerial candidate of the opposition bloc. Speaking to reporters in Patna ahead of the announcement, he appeared confident: “Why would I have a problem with anything? Can’t you tolerate so much happiness on my face? Mahagathbandhan is moving forward very strongly.”His elevation seems a calculated strategy by the Mahagathbandhan to consolidate Nishad (fishermen) votes and appeal to smaller caste groups that have drifted away from the major alliances. The support base for the Vikassheel Insaan Party consists mainly of the Nishad, Nonia, Bind, Beldar community, which comprises 20 sub-castes of fisherman and boatmen. It also signals social inclusivity — a card the RJD-led bloc has traditionally used effectively in Bihar’s caste-driven politics.
Congress on shaky ground?
While the alliance celebrated unity on stage, discontent brewed within the Congress. In recent weeks, several party workers have expressed anger over the ticket distribution process, alleging bias and manipulation by senior leaders in charge of Bihar affairs.Congress worker Munna Shahi told ANI, “Those whom Rahul Gandhi had entrusted and sent here are from the five-star hotel culture, and they don’t like to be brought down to poor ashrams here… We have only one demand, ‘ticket chor, gaddi chod’… The selection process has lost its basis. Only eye wash remains now.”After the Congress CEC meeting on Bihar polls, another worker said, “It was said that those people who will be on the screening committee, those who will have their online application will be given tickets. But a few leaders like Krishna Allavaru and Rajesh Ram are making women work hard and go from door to door but cheating them at the end. The promise made by Rahul Gandhi, to honour the youth and women is being broken by Krishna Allavaru. We, the Congress workers, will not stand it. Bihar will not accept it.”Interestingly, on Thursday elevating Congress also replaced Allavaru as Youth Congress chief and brought in Manish Sharma.The internal tensions in the recent weeks by local leaders point to a widening gap between the Congress high command and its state unit. This recurring issue has hurt the party’s performance in multiple states.
The weakest link?
The Mahagathbandhan’s recalibrated leadership matrix leaves the Congress in an uncomfortable spot. With the RJD holding the chief ministerial claim and the VIP now rewarded with the deputy slot, Congress finds itself without a distinct bargaining chip. Its performance in the 2020 polls, where it contested 70 seats but won only 19, has weakened its ability to negotiate.The current configuration suggests a more RJD-centric alliance, with Tejashwi and Sahani symbolising the blend of legacy and new social representation, while Congress remains peripheral.The joint manifesto of the Mahagathbandhan is set to be released on October 28, after Chhath Puja, with Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expected to join the campaign. However, unless it manages to address internal dissent and project a clear message, Congress could risk further erosion in Bihar’s evolving political narrative.The Bihar assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results scheduled for November 14. The Mahagathbandhan — comprising RJD, Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI-ML, and Mukesh Sahani’s VIP — faces the NDA alliance led by BJP and JD(U), along with the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and HAM(S). Go to Source
