Bihar’s political landscape is heating up as Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is feeling threatened following the INDIA bloc’s decision to nominate an Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) leader as their deputy chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The INDIA bloc has put forward Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) founder Mukesh Sahani, a prominent EBC figure, for the deputy CM post.
Yadav further alleged that the BJP’s response, particularly their focus on the perceived lack of Muslim representation, highlights their animosity towards the EBC community. He questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s frustration over the EBC leader’s nomination and accused BJP leaders of hypocrisy for questioning minority representation in the opposition while allegedly engaging in anti-minority rhetoric themselves.
The RJD leader stated, “The BJP, which has been repeatedly abusing religious minorities and threatening to send them to Pakistan, is now worried about their representation. We will soon address their concerns.” He also noted that some INDIA bloc leaders have indicated the possibility of appointing multiple deputy chief ministers, potentially including a Muslim representative.
Political Jabs Exchanged
These remarks come as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) bloc has been critical of the INDIA bloc’s choice, suggesting it overlooks their traditional Muslim voter base. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan criticized the RJD for not giving Muslims adequate representation, recalling his late father Ram Vilas Paswan’s past efforts to support a Muslim chief minister. Paswan asserted, “RJD was not ready for a Muslim chief minister even in 2005, and today in 2025, it is neither ready to give a Muslim chief minister nor a deputy chief minister!”
BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain labeled the INDIA bloc’s move a “mahabhool” (mega blunder), claiming it has alienated their core Muslim-Yadav (MY) voter base. He remarked, “Their M-Y equation does not stand for ‘Muslim-Yadav’ anymore but ‘Mukesh Sahani-Tejashwi Yadav.’ Their vote bank is upset with them now… There are cracks in the Mahagathbandhan, Congress has knelt down before Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu Yadav,” predicting an NDA victory.
Caste Dynamics in Bihar
According to Bihar’s 2023 caste and community survey, Muslims constitute 17.7% of the state’s population, making their representation a significant electoral factor. The Mahagathbandhan’s candidate selection strategy appears to be driven by caste arithmetic, with 56% of their 255 candidates coming from backward or extremely backward communities. The traditional Muslim-Yadav (MY) voter base remains a key focus, with 67 Yadav and 30 Muslim candidates fielded.
In contrast, the NDA has nominated only five Muslim candidates, with the JD(U) fielding four and Chirag Paswan’s party one, while the BJP has not put forward any Muslim candidates for the 101 seats it is contesting.
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By naming Mukesh Sahani as the deputy CM candidate, the INDIA bloc seems to be targeting the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), who comprise 36% of Bihar’s population, the largest social group. Sahani’s own community, the Nishads, represent approximately 2.5%.
However, this decision has drawn criticism from AIMIM, which was previously sidelined by the RJD-Congress alliance. AIMIM’s UP unit chief Shaukat Ali stated that Muslims are being marginalized, suggesting they are being used as stepping stones while others benefit, and noted that the chief ministerial candidate is from the Yadav community, which makes up 13% of the state’s population.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14. Tejashwi Yadav will lead the INDIA bloc as the chief ministerial face, with Mukesh Sahani serving as the deputy chief ministerial candidate.