Joint presser but with only Tejashwi's poster, BJP mocks Mahagathbandhan
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a jab at the Mahagathbandhan alliance after a press conference poster showed only Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. The poster led to speculation that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party were being sidelined in the alliance. BJP spokesperson Shehzaad Poonawala took to X to take a swipe, asking, "Joint PC? But only one picture.... Rahul Gandhi & Congress ka 'samman chori' ..... Showed Congress & Rahul his place?"
Twitter Post
Check out the poster here
Joint PC? But only one picture
— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) October 23, 2025
Rahul Gandhi & Congress ka “samman chori”
Showed Congress & Rahul his place? pic.twitter.com/BTztFZgvOP
Announcement imminent
Tejashwi likely to be declared as opposition's CM candidate
The poster surfaced amid reports that the Grand Alliance had reached a consensus to project Tejashwi as its CM face. To resolve alliance issues, senior Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Krishna Allavaru had reportedly met with RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi. CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya hinted at impatience over delays, saying, "Tejashwi's name as the opposition's CM candidate could be officially announced."
Positive meeting
Gehlot calls meeting 'highly positive'
Gehlot called the meeting "highly positive," saying the bloc was "united and contesting the elections as a strong force." He dismissed concerns over seat-sharing disputes as "friendly fights." Tejashwi also played down any alliance friction, saying, "There is no controversy or confusion in INDIA bloc...Will talk tomorrow. You will get an answer to every question."
Candidate announcement
RJD released list of candidates for Bihar Assembly elections
The RJD has already released a list of 143 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, including 24 women, while the Congress announced 61 even before seat-sharing was finalized. Some seats have both RJD and Congress candidates, but adjustments are expected before the polls. The elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results due on November 14.