Tejashwi Yadav named Chief Ministerial candidate of the INDIA alliance for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Mukesh Sahani announced as Deputy CM face. Opposition vows to end NDA’s 20-year rule as BJP counters with ‘Vikaas vs Vinaash’ narrative.

By Qalam Times News Network | Patna | October 23, 2025

Tejashwi Yadav Takes the Lead in Bihar’s Political Battle

Tejashwi Yadav has officially been declared the Chief Ministerial face of the INDIA alliance for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The announcement, made in Patna on Thursday by senior Congress leader and AICC observer Ashok Gehlot, marked a significant moment for the opposition bloc aiming to challenge the two-decade rule of the NDA government in the state.

Gehlot made the declaration in the presence of Tejashwi Yadav, VIP Chief Mukesh Sahani, Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru, BPCC President Rajesh Ram, CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, and other key alliance leaders. Sahani was simultaneously named the Deputy Chief Ministerial face, with Gehlot hinting that one more Deputy CM would be announced soon.

Mahagathbandhan’s Unified Front Against the NDA is Tejashwi Yadav

After being announced as the alliance’s Chief Ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav thanked the INDIA bloc for their confidence and promised to “end the 20-year-old double-engine government” in Bihar, which he described as “useless, corrupt, and criminal.”

“Our mission is not just to gain power,” Yadav asserted. “We want to rebuild Bihar. This election is about restoring dignity and opportunities for the youth and women who have been betrayed repeatedly.”

CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya echoed Yadav’s sentiment, declaring that the upcoming election “will mark a historic change.” He said, “Bihar’s people have waited too long for justice. Our seven-party alliance will bring that change together.”

NDA Yet to Announce Its CM Face, Sparks Political Questions

The INDIA bloc’s decision to project Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial face has intensified scrutiny on the NDA, which has yet to name its own leader.
Tejashwi took a swipe at the ruling alliance, saying, “Even after 20 years in power, they can’t decide who will lead them. Bihar’s development is what’s actually 20 years late.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Verma added, “While the INDIA bloc has clarity and unity, the NDA is still struggling with leadership uncertainty. This clearly shows who is prepared for governance.”

BJP’s Counterattack: ‘Vikaas vs Vinaash’ Narrative

Reacting sharply to the announcement, BJP President J.P. Nadda dismissed the INDIA bloc’s move, claiming that the Bihar elections will be a contest between “Vikaas” (development) and “Vinaash” (destruction).
Speaking at a rally in Aurangabad, Nadda accused the Congress of being a “parasitic party that finishes off its allies” and labeled the RJD as the party of “Rangdari, Jungleraj, and Dadagiri.”

He ridiculed Tejashwi Yadav’s promise of jobs for the youth, linking it to the “land-for-jobs” scandal that had previously rocked the RJD.

Giriraj Singh’s Attack: ‘Ticket-Selling Alliance’

Union Minister Giriraj Singh lashed out at the Mahagathbandhan, branding it a coalition of “ticket-selling parties.”
He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallies in Begusarai and Samastipur will “crush the vote-cutting and ticket-trading politics” of the opposition.

“Once PM Modi begins his campaign, all these opportunistic alliances will collapse under the weight of their own contradictions,” Singh said.

Bihar’s Political Equation Tightens

The Bihar Assembly elections, set to begin on November 6, are shaping up to be one of the fiercest contests in recent memory. The INDIA bloc — now under Tejashwi Yadav’s leadership — is attempting to unite anti-NDA forces across caste and ideological lines.
Meanwhile, the NDA, though firmly entrenched in power, faces growing pressure over leadership clarity and public discontent over unemployment and migration.

The battle lines are drawn: Tejashwi Yadav’s “Bihar for Change” versus the BJP’s “Vikaas” narrative — a political showdown that could redefine Bihar’s future.