Patna: As Bihar heads towards Assembly elections later this year, tensions appear to be simmering within the Mahagathbandhan over the chief ministerial face of the alliance. The Congress, a key ally of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has once again reiterated that the decision on who will lead the alliance in the state will only be taken after the results are declared.
On Friday, Congress General Secretary Sachin Pilot, while speaking to reporters in Patna, maintained that the chief minister would be chosen only if the alliance secures a majority. “The decision on the CM face will be made after the elections,” he said, reinforcing the party’s stand that has increasingly diverged from the RJD’s projection of Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate.
Pilot was in Patna to mark the conclusion of Kanhaiya Kumar’s ‘Naukari Do, Palayan Roko Yatra’, a state-wide campaign raising employment-related issues. His remarks come just weeks after Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru echoed the same sentiment, indicating that the issue had already been deliberated at a high-level meeting in Delhi last month. The meeting, attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi, reportedly finalised the party’s approach to the Bihar polls, including the continuation of the alliance with the RJD while deferring the CM announcement.
The RJD, however, has made its preference clear. Party leaders are pushing hard for Tejashwi Yadav, currently Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, to be declared the face of the alliance. The party believes an early declaration would galvanise support, but Congress seems intent on resisting that pressure, focusing instead on broader electoral strategy.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is showcasing unity through joint press conferences in districts across the state, the Mahagathbandhan appears to be grappling with internal disagreements. Congress sources say the party is determined to assert itself this time, demanding a fair share of seats and a greater say in alliance decisions.
Ahead of the elections, the Congress has already undergone significant organizational changes—from replacing the state president to revamping its district leadership—signaling its intent to contest from a position of strength. Rahul Gandhi’s frequent visits to Bihar further underline the party’s efforts to consolidate its presence in the state.
