The Mahagathbandhan on Thursday endorsed RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for the post of chief minister, resolving one of the hurdles to unity within the Opposition bloc that has failed to clinch a formal seat-sharing deal.

The alliance announced junior ally Mukesh Sahani of the Vikassheel Insaan Party as its pick for deputy chief minister, looking to court segments of the electorally crucial Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs).

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot announced Tejashwi as the choice for the top job at a joint media conference of the alliance in Patna that sought to showcase unity.

There was, however, no announcement about a seat deal although alliance leaders claimed in private that a “strategic” understanding had been reached relating to constituencies where more than one ally has fielded a candidate.

“All of us here have decided that in these elections, we will promote Tejashwi Yadav as the next chief minister. He is young, committed and has a long career ahead. And, I can say with my experience, that people support such leaders,” Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, said.

“We all have also decided that our comrade from the Extremely Backward Classes, Mukesh Sahani, who has risen through struggle, will be promoted as the deputy chief minister.”

Sahani draws support from the Mallah (boatmen and fishermen) communities,
who have a large presence in north Bihar.

Gehlot said more deputy chief ministers from other deprived communities would be considered if the Mahagathbandhan comes to power. The NDA government, led by Nitish Kumar, has two deputy chief ministers from the BJP, one of them an OBC and the other an upper caste.

Gehlot and Tejashwi tried to turn the tables on the NDA, challenging it to declare JDU leader Nitish as its choice for chief minister.

“Now Amit Shah must answer whether Nitish Kumar will become chief minister after the elections,” Gehlot said.

The Union home minister had recently said in an interview that while the NDA was contesting the election under the leadership of Nitish, the next chief minister would be decided by the new MLAs after the results are declared.

This has given the Opposition an opportunity to accuse Shah of plotting to install a BJP chief minister.

Gehlot underlined that the NDA had fought the last Maharashtra elections with
then chief minister Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena as its “face”, but Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP became the chief minister.

“So, will he (Shah) betray Nitish too? The BJP must make this clear, otherwise they are deceiving the public,” he said.

Tejashwi picked up from where Gehlot had left off.

“We have been saying that the BJP will not make Nitishji the CM of Bihar. This is Nitishji’s last election and Amit Shah has made this clear,” he said.

Sahani’s nomination as Tejashwi’s prospective deputy came as a surprise. His party is contesting just 15 of the 243 seats.

The RJD was vehemently opposed to elevating Sahani but relented before hard bargaining by the Bollywood set designer turned politician, whose party was in the NDA during the last election.

Divided into more than 100 castes, the EBCs are expected to play a key role in deciding the election. Nitish has wooed them over the past two decades with reservation in local bodies and targeted welfare schemes.

It’s widely believed that the Mahagathbandhan needs an extra chunk of votes beyond its loyal Muslim-Yadav base to defeat the NDA.

Sahani thanked the Mahagathbandhan leaders. “In 2020, a government was formed in Bihar with our support. Had it not been for us, Nitish Kumar would not have become chief minister in 2020,” he told reporters.

He accused the BJP of poaching on his MLAs and trying to break his party after the last election.

At the joint media conference, Tejashwi tried to underline his status as alliance leader, seeking an opportunity to “transform Bihar”.

“I don’t want five years. Give me just 20 months and I will do things the NDA has not been able to do in 20 years,” he said.

Looking to counter the charge of misrule against his parents, he pledged that as a new-generation leader, he would rise above caste affiliations and work for everyone.

“I pledge zero tolerance against corruption and crime,” he said.

The BJP hit back swiftly. “He (Tejashwi) has vowed zero tolerance for corruption. Lalu Yadav has been convicted in four cases in the fodder scam. Tejashwi Yadav, you are an accused in an IPC 420 case,” BJP parliamentarian Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Friendly fights

On Thursday, the last day for withdrawing nominations for the second phase of polling on November 11, the Congress and the Vikassheel nominees pulled out of the contests for Warsliganj and Babubarhi, respectively, avoiding “friendly fights” with the RJD.

There still remain at least nine seats where more than one partner has fielded a candidate.

“At many seats, the date for withdrawal of nominations is over. On these seats, one ally’s candidate will publicly withdraw from the contest,” a Congress leader said.

Cong protest

A group of disgruntled Congress ticket seekers staged a protest at the state party headquarters in Patna, accusing the high command’s Bihar minder, Krishna Allavaru, of “selling tickets to outsiders”.

Black ribbons on their arms, the protesters waved placards, shouting “Ticket chor, Bihar chhod (Ticket thief, leave Bihar)”.