Tejashwi Yadav is CM face of grand alliance

The opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar on Saturday announced seat-sharing formula for the upcoming assembly elections amid high drama.

Congress in-charge for Bihar assembly elections Avinash Pandey announced Tejashwi Yadav as the CM face of the grand alliance.

As per the seat-sharing formula in the opposition coalition, the RJD will be contesting on 144 seats, the Congress 70 and Left parties 29 seats.

“Two smaller partners JMM and Vikasheel Insan Party (VIP) will be getting seats from the RJD quota”, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said while making a formal announcement in Patna on Saturday.

Upset over being ignored by the grand alliance leaders, VIP Chief Mukesh Sahani walked out of the event and hinted that he may quit the opposition coalition.

Mukesh Sahani had joined the RJD-led grand alliance just before the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 and he was expecting “sizeable seat share” to contest in the assembly elections.

Reports suggest that he also wanted the grand alliance to declare him as a deputy CM candidate.

“I will announce my next move after meeting party leaders. I feel cheated”, VIP Chief Mukesh Sahani said.

The grand alliance in Bihar comprises RJD, Congress, VIP and three left parties (CPI-ML, CPI and CPM).

Two of RJD’s prominent allies Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha had earlier left the grand alliance due to differences over leadership and seatsharing pact.

Political analysts claim that Manjhi’s exit was a jolt for Tejashwi Yadav who has been trying to strengthen his party’s structure and voter’s base in Bihar in the absence of his father.