New Delhi [India], October 23 : Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday backed the opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan's decision to elect Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Minister candidate for the Bihar Assembly election, stating that the right decision has been made at the right time.
Baghel further questioned the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) CM's face for the election.
"The right decision has been made at the right time, which was announced today. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, both faces, have been declared. Now the question is from the BJP and the NDA, who is their face?" he said.
NDA has repeatedly stated that they are fighting the Bihar election under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Earlier, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan reiterated his support for Nitish Kumar as the leader of the NDA alliance in the Bihar assembly polls and said that after the results, elected MLAs will once again choose the JD(U) leader as the Chief Minister.
"The NDA alliance have made it clear that we are contesting the elections under the leadership of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, and after the elections, the elected MLAs will once again choose Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister," Paswan said.
Additionally, Bhupesh Baghel countered BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad's remarks questioning Tejashwi Yadav's credibility over charges framed against him in the IRCTC Hotel Tender case.
"Does the accused become a criminal?... How many tainted leaders are there in the BJP too?" Baghel said.
Earlier on Thursday, Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot declared Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar.
Following the announcement, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad launched an attack against Tejashwi, questioning his credibility over his father Lalu Prasad's 32.5-year sentence in the fodder scam cases and IPC Section 420 charges against him in the IRCTC scam case.
Speaking to ANI, Prasad said, "What is he saying? Does he even understand what he is saying? His father has been sentenced to 32.5 years in jail in four cases of the fodder scam. He is on trial in the CBI Court in Delhi. Tejashwi Yadav is also an accused of Section 420 of the IPC. The people of Bihar are well aware of who has contributed to Bihar's development. PM Modi and Nitish Kumar will develop Bihar. This is the double-engine government."
Meanwhile, Mukesh Sahani, who heads the Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP), has been named the Deputy CM nominee from the Mahagathbandhan.
The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan.
The NDA comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
The Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.