With RJD's Tejashwi Yadav named the Mahagathbandhan's (grand alliance) chief ministerial face in the Bihar Assembly polls, the Congress on Thursday asserted that the INDIA bloc is "not a one-man show" but "a people’s alliance - built on mutual respect, inclusive representation, and the principle of shared power."
At a joint press conference in Patna on Thursday, the opposition Mahagathbandhan named RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar assembly elections in November.
This was the first press conference of the Mahagathbandhan leaders amid the stalemate over seat-sharing arrangements among the INDIA bloc constituents for the assembly polls.
Former Rajasthan chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, has been camping in Patna since Wednesday to iron out differences with the RJD. He said the decision was approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
The announcement came amid controversy after photographs of top INDIA bloc leaders were missing from a banner at the Mahagathbandhan’s joint press conference. The banner, images of which went viral on social media, carried only a large photograph of Tejashwi.
He also named Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani as the coalition’s deputy chief ministerial nominee. He said that deputy chief ministers from other social groups would also be appointed if the alliance comes to power, "keeping in mind the complex social structure of Bihar".
Referring to the development, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said those hoping to stoke divisions within the INDIA bloc must be disappointed.
"Tejashwi Yadav has been unanimously declared the CM face for Bihar. Mukesh Sahni will serve as one of the Deputy CM candidates, alongside others representing communities that have long been denied a share in institutional power under the NDA regime," he said on X.
"INDIA is not a one-man show. It is a people's alliance -- built on mutual respect, inclusive representation, and the principle of shared power," the Congress leader said.
Khera, who was also at the press conference where the announcement was made, told reporters, "We have taken the lead by announcing our face. Now it is for the NDA to stop equivocating on the issue and declaring whom it proposes to make the CM if it forms the government."
Meanwhile, BJP termed the opposition alliance a "divided house" warning the RJD that Tejashwi Yadav would not even become the leader of opposition (LoP) after the election results.
"It's a divided house. That's why they were trying to send out a message of unity at the press conference (held in Patna on Thursday)," BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam was quoted as saying by PTI.
"You need not send out a message of unity. Such a message is automatically conveyed with your nature, body language, conduct, commitment and your conviction," he added.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary alleged that Lalu Prasad "tortured" the Congress and other alliance partners by "fielding nominees against them" to install Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial candidate.
"Lalu Prasad tortured the Congress and other INDIA bloc partners as he fielded candidates against them to make his son Tejashwi Yadav the chief ministerial face in the polls...Now, the son of a thief is running for the CM's post," Choudhary alleged.
