Tejashwi to lead INDIA alliance co-ordination committee for Bihar election

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav joins hands with Congress Bihar in-charge Krisna Allawaru, Bihar Congress Chief Rajesh Kumar, VIP Chief Mukesh Sahni and others during a press conference after the Grand-alliance meeting ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna on April 17, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav was on Thursday (April 17, 2025) appointed as the head of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)’s coordination committee for the Bihar Assembly election, due to be held later this year.

The co-ordination committee would be responsible for all election-related issues, including seat-sharing.

“We have formed the INDIA alliance’s co-ordination committee which will deal with campaign strategy, seat-sharing, issues of common minimum programme, combined manifesto, maintaining co-ordination among the leaders of the alliance at the State, district and block levels, and all other issues related to election. The committee will be chaired by Tejashwi ji. He will oversee all activities of the INDIA alliance as its chairman and president,“ Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru said during the press briefing at the party office.

The formation of the co-ordination committee was announced after a meeting of the Mahagathbandhan, or grand alliance, at the RJD office in Patna. Several senior leaders, including Vikasheel Insaan Party president Mukesh Sahani and leaders of the Left parties, participated in the meeting that lasted over three hours.

Mr. Allavaru added that the co-ordination committee will hold meetings and unitedly go to the public to seek their blessings. The co-ordination committee will have members from all the political parties of the INDIA bloc.

“The INDIA bloc will contest the election based on issues of the people and will be the voice of the people,“ Mr. Allavaru stressed.

Asked about the Chief Minister face of the bloc, Mr. Allavaru said, “While there is unity and clarity in the INDIA bloc, there is confusion among the leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Haryana Chief Minister (Nayab Singh Saini) already saying that (Deputy Chief Minister) Samrat Choudhary will become the Chief Minister.”

Reacting to the development and to speculation of him being named the Chief Minister face of the Opposition, Mr. Yadav said, “Today we have formed the co-ordination committee and you should not worry about anything else. Let the BJP get worried. There is consensus among the INDIA bloc leaders and there is no confusion at all… Have some patience [on the CM candidate], you want to get all information in just one day. Don’t be so restless. All the decisions would be taken unitedly.”

Asked about former Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) president Pashupati Kumar Paras joining the INDIA bloc after recently quitting the NDA, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister said the issue would be discussed in the next meeting.

Two days back, Mr. Yadav held a closed-door meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Bihar Congress State president Rajesh Kumar, RJD Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Ajay Kumar and CPI (Marxist–Leninist) State secretary Kunal were also present.