At times onboard an open car, at times on motorcycles and amidst chants of supporters, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav have put on a show of camaraderie during their "Voter Adhikar Yatra" rally which is currently underway in Bihar. The duo, zipping through crowds on bikes, symbolized a refreshed opposition unity ahead of the 2025 Bihar assembly elections. Tejashwi, has been vocal in his support for Rahul, even boldly endorsing him as India's future Prime Minister for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. "The youth have resolved to make Rahul Gandhi the PM," Tejashwi declared earlier this week, framing the alliance as a generational shift against the ruling NDA.
But when the spotlight turned to reciprocity, the narrative took a intriguing twist. A reporter, during Sunday press conference at Araria, pressed Rahul Gandhi on the evolving bonhomie between Congress and RJD- a partnership that hasn't always been this seamless in Bihar. "This kind of understanding wasn’t seen before," the journalist noted, highlighting Tejashwi's gestures like carrying the Congress flag and his public backing of Rahul. "For Bihar, will you endorse Tejashwi as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance?"
Rahul Gandhi, chose evasion over endorsement dodged it smartly by claiming absolute unity among all INDIA alliance members fighting Bihar elections together. He pivoted smoothly to the bigger picture: "There’s a great partnership. All our alliance members are together in this fight. We are all aligned ideologically. So there is no trouble or tension within the alliance. We are having great fun. The results will be great. Our main vision is to thwart vote theft." It was political sidestepping- praising the bond without committing to a face, all while shifting focus to allegations of electoral foul play by the Election Commission, including the controversial "SIR" system accused of manipulating voter rolls.
This dodge isn't just a momentary hesitation; it echoes the turbulent history of opposition alliances in India, where ideological harmony often crumbles under the weight of ambition and arithmetic. Take the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, for instance. The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), comprising RJD, Congress, and left parties, came agonizingly close to power but fell short by a handful of seats. RJD leaders, openly blamed Congress's poor performance - winning just 19 out of 70 contested seats, for dragging down the coalition. "Another Congress flop show spoils Tejashwi Yadav-led alliance chances," headlines screamed at the time, underscoring how overambitious seat demands and underdelivery sowed seeds of distrust.
Similar fractures have plagued alliances elsewhere, amplifying the caution in Rahul's response. In Uttar Pradesh's 2022 assembly polls, Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) forged a pact, but not without heated negotiations over seat sharing. Similarly in West Bengal. congress failed to forge seat sharing understanding with Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress during 2024 Loksabha polls even after both being part of INDIA block. “We are not here to accept any big brotherly attitude. They can’t save their own seats, can’t be demanding with parties that are strong in a region. Congress should allow the party that is strong in a region to fight” Mamata Banerjee had said during Lok Sabha polls, while accusing congress for asking for more seats beyond 2 that was offered to them.
These past disputes make Rahul's reluctance in answering the pointed question on chief ministership, interesting. In Bihar today, the INDIA alliance-Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, VIP party and other Left Parties have united against Nitish Kumar's NDA government, which Tejashwi derisively calls a "khatara" (rickety) regime. Their joint yatra has drawn massive crowds, with dramatic moments like a supporter planting an unexpected kiss on Rahul during the bike rally on Sunday, turning it into viral fodder. Yet, beneath the fun and fanfare, the CM question looms unresolved. Who will lead if the opposition wins? Tejashwi's camp pushes for his elevation, citing his role in the 2020 near-miss and his youth appeal. But Congress, wary of repeating 2020's mistakes, seems to favor keeping options open in Bihar's complex social mosaic. Will the "great fun" translate to a unified victory, or will old ghosts of seat-sharing squabbles and unfulfilled promises resurface? Voters, caught in the crossfire of "vote theft" claims and leadership limbo, will decide.
On the other side, the BJP hasn't officially named a CM face either, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent tagging alongside Nitish Kumar signals continuity. Modi, in recent rallies, has lambasted the Rahul-Tejashwi duo as "propaganda artists," accusing them of dynastic politics while touting NDA's stability.
