The Opposition’s grand alliance, Mahagathbandhan, formally declared Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections scheduled in November. The announcement, made at a joint press conference in Patna on Thursday, marked the beginning of the alliance’s aggressive campaign push against the ruling NDA.

Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made the declaration, confirming that Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani would be the coalition’s deputy chief ministerial candidate if the alliance comes to power.

The announcement, however, stirred a brief controversy after social media users noticed that posters at the joint event prominently displayed only Tejashwi Yadav’s image, while photos of other INDIA bloc leaders were missing. Despite the chatter, leaders from across the alliance presented a united front.

Tejashwi Yadav, joined by CPI-ML (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Mukesh Sahani, and other senior leaders, said that the Opposition is entering the election with “a shared vision to rebuild Bihar with dignity, development, and justice.”

Ashok Gehlot took aim at the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), remarking, “For nearly 20 years, the NDA has ruled Bihar, yet today even their own workers are unsure who will lead them if they win. Where is their chief ministerial face?”

Calling the upcoming polls a “turning point for Bihar’s future,” Tejashwi Yadav said the Mahagathbandhan would focus on employment, education, healthcare, and social equality. “The people of Bihar have waited long enough. This election is not about power—it’s about the future of our youth,” he said.