**Tejashwi Yadav is RJD’s CM Face, Not Mahagathbandhan’s: Congress Leader**
*By Chanshimla Varah | Oct 07, 2025, 06:15 PM*
As the Bihar elections draw near, with less than 30 days remaining, the opposition Mahagathbandhan remains undecided on its chief ministerial candidate. This ongoing uncertainty became evident when Congress leader Udit Raj stated that while Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav may be the favorite within his party, he is not yet the agreed-upon choice for the entire opposition bloc.
**Collective Decision Pending**
Commenting on the matter, Udit Raj told PTI, “Look, any supporter of any party can do that (name that party’s leader as Chief Minister), but the India bloc’s candidate has not been decided. Let us see what the Congress HQ decides.”
This hesitation reflects a broader sense of caution among the alliance. Earlier in August, Rahul Gandhi also refrained from confirming Yadav as the CM candidate, emphasizing unity instead. “INDIA bloc partners are working without tension. We will contest together and the results will be good,” he had remarked.
**Yadav’s Statement on CM Face**
In contrast, during a September interview with NDTV, Tejashwi Yadav spoke firmly about the need for a clear chief ministerial candidate. He insisted that the grand coalition would not contest the Bihar assembly polls without projecting a CM face.
“Are we the BJP that we do not have any faces? We definitely will not contest the elections without projecting a Chief Ministerial face,” Yadav said, seeming to diverge from the Congress’s more cautious stance.
**Congress Leaders Insist on Independent Contest**
Within Congress, some state leaders remain adamant about contesting independently, adding to the complexities within the alliance. The 2025 Bihar election holds significant importance for the Mahagathbandhan as they aim to unseat incumbent Nitish Kumar, who has retained power since 2015 by shifting alliances—earning him the nickname ‘Paltu Ram.’
**Election Schedule**
Voting for the 243-member Bihar Assembly will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results are expected to be announced on November 14, while the current assembly’s term ends on November 22.
As the election approaches, the opposition bloc faces the critical task of finalizing its leadership to mount a united challenge against the incumbent government.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/tejashwi-yadav-is-rjd-s-cm-face-not-opposition-congress-leader/story
