"We have finalised our CM candidate; allegations don't prove guilt": Congress' Imran Masood
Oct 24, 2025
New Delhi [India], October 24 : Reacting to Tejashwi Yadav being declared as the Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face, Congress leader Imran Masood said that while the Opposition has finalised its candidate, the NDA is yet to name theirs, adding that mere corruption allegations do not make anyone guilty.
Masood told ANI, "We have finalised our candidate, but the NDA has yet to announce theirs. Nitish Kumar appears to be sidelined by the BJP. There are corruption allegations against various leaders, not just Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu Yadav. Mere allegations do not prove anyone guilty."
This comes after senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot declared Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. Mukesh Sahani, who heads the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), has been named the Deputy CM nominee.
Opposition Mahagathbandhan will release its joint manifesto for the Bihar Assembly elections on October 28 in Patna, sources in the alliance told ANI on Thursday.
Sources said that Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will also begin their campaign for the Bihar Assembly elections on October 28, after the Chhath Puja festival.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will address joint rallies before the first Phase of voting and, after that, for the seats in the second Phase of voting, they added.
The 2025 Bihar elections see a contest between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. NDA includes 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).
Additionally, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has staked claims to all 243 seats in the state.
The assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.
