Bihar Elections: Tejashwi Yadav Likely to Be Mahagathbandhan’s CM Face; Rahul Gandhi’s Photo Missing from Posters

Patna (The Uttam Hindu): The Mahagathbandhan is set to hold an important press conference on Thursday amid growing speculation that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav may be announced as the alliance’s Chief Ministerial candidate for Bihar. These developments follow a meeting in Patna on Wednesday between Tejashwi Yadav, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, and Congress Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, who also met RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The press conference at Maurya Hotel, Patna, has intensified speculation. The banner prominently displays the election symbols of all Mahagathbandhan allies, but features only a large photo of Tejashwi Yadav, with Rahul Gandhi’s picture notably absent, creating political buzz. The banner also carries the hashtag #BiharMangeTejashwiSarkar.

This will be the first joint press conference of the Mahagathbandhan since the election dates were announced. The last joint event was held on September 24, during the release of the EBC Resolution Document, attended by Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, and Mukesh Sahni of the Vikasheel Insaan Party. Earlier, the leaders also participated in Rahul Gandhi’s two-week-long Voter Rights Campaign, covering over 25 districts in Bihar.

While the Congress has avoided commenting on the meeting’s outcomes, CPIML(M) General Secretary Deepankar Bhattacharya hinted at growing impatience within the alliance over the delay in officially announcing Tejashwi as the CM candidate. Bhattacharya said, “The official announcement of Tejashwi as the opposition’s CM candidate may come during Thursday’s press conference. The whole of Bihar knows that if the opposition gets a majority, Tejashwi will be the Chief Minister.”

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot took a cautious stance, stating that Thursday’s conference would aim to resolve all confusions.