Behind Mukesh Sahani's Big Bihar Elevation. What Happened At Patna Hotel?

The focus was to be on Tejashwi Yadav, not Mukesh Sahani.

At 11.30 am (or a little past) Thursday, in Patna's Hotel Maurya, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader was to be named the Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face, for next month's Bihar Assembly election. But, as the clock ticked past noon, the opposition alliance's leadership were MIA.

They were, in fact, in an emergency behind-the-scenes huddle because of a last-gasp, 'make me Deputy Chief Minister' bombshell thrown by Vikassheel Insaan Party boss Mukesh Sahani.

Sources told NDTV Sahani refused to attend sans a 'respectable place' in the alliance, one based on his record of fighting for the rights of Bihar's marginalised communities. 'If the 'grand alliance' talks about social justice, then we want a share in positions... not just seats...' he reportedly told alliance chiefs.

What did he want? In pop culture terms, to be Tonto to Tejashwi Yadav's Lone Ranger, to be Robin to Yadav's Batman, Samwise Gangee to the RJD leader's Frodo Baggins.

Behind the scenes

The drama unfolded a few hours before the presser was to start.

Sources said Sahani was staying in a suite at the Maurya, as were other senior leaders of the opposition alliance, including the Congress' Ashok Gehlot.

It appears the former Rajasthan Chief Minister's suite was the gathering point ahead of the united march down to the presser. Tejashwi Yadav duly turned up. Mukesh Sahani did not.

The message was clear - 'if Yadav is to be the face of the alliance, I will be his deputy'.

RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav is the opposition's chief ministerial candidate (File).

"I agreed to less than 25 seats (the VIP has accepted an allotment of 15 seats) because I thought I would get the post of Deputy Chief Minister. If this doesn't happen, how can I face my supporters? How can I go to my supporters and ask for votes?" he declared.

Sahani's declaration threatened to derail fragile harmony within the bloc, prompting a personal intervention by Yadav. The RJD chief assured Sahani every party would be part of the government should the opposition alliance win the election. The assurance was not enough.

Panic stations

Gehlot then spoke to the Congress HQ in Delhi.

Could Sahani be named the presumptive Deputy Chief Minister? Yes, came the reply, the party aware the alternative was to possibly lose votes from the Mallah community.

The Left's Dipankar Bhattacharya, waiting downstairs, was also asked. OK, he said.

And thus was Mukesh Sahani - who could transition from a Bollywood set designer to become (potentially) the second-most powerful man in Bihar - announced as Yadav's deputy.

Before that Yadav was announced as the chief ministerial candidate.

After the drama, Sahani spoke exclusively to NDTV and insisted no 'pressure' had been applied to secure his big promotion. "No... there was no need for pressure. You can say it was a little late (i.e., announcing Yadav and himself as the faces of the campaign), but we are better than the others."

The reference was to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal United alliance.

"There, the announcement has not been made. They are just saying they will fight under his leadership (i.e., Chief Minister Nitish Kumar) but it is not clear. It is clear here... who will be Chief Minister and who will be the deputy," he said, also rubbishing talk of having delayed the presser due to his demands.

Sahani also claimed he had been offered the Deputy Chief Minister post after the 2020 election, for which his party was a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The NDA eased to victory five years ago, finishing 15 seats ahead of the RJD-led opposition

#WATCH | #BiharElection2025 | VIP chief and Mahagathbandhan's Deputy CM face, Mukesh Sahani says, "I thank the top leaders and colleagues of our alliance...In 2020, government was formed in Bihar with our support. Had it not been for us, Nitish Kumar would not have been the CM… pic.twitter.com/9sdwO9nAEf

— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2025

Eleven of those seats were won by the VIP. "Had it not been for us... Nitish Kumar would not have been Chief Minister in 2020. I was offered deputy's post even then but I turned it down then..."

The Sahani 'bullet' doged, again

Sources have now told NDTV Sahani picked his moment well.

READ | Ahead Of Bihar Poll, The Political Significance Of Mukesh Sahani

Having already held the alliance hostage over seat-sharing talks - he demanded 24 seats before settling for 15 and the promise of two in the legislative council and one in the Rajya Sabha - sources said Sahani then arm-twisted his way to being named Tejashwi Yadav's deputy.

READ | Bihar Opposition Dodges Bullet After Key Ally Settles For 15 Seats

Why did the Mahgathbandhan allow this?

Possibly because Sahani, 44, will be expected to bring in votes from the Mallah, Sahani, and Nishad communities, whose nine per cent electoral weight could tilt the race in their favour.

The Mallah community, a sub-caste of the Nishad community, is spread across Bihar but has influence in certain constituencies, particularly in the Mithilanchal and Seemanchal regions.

Sahani had made it clear he was prepared to walk out of if his demands weren't fulfilled.

Could they have let him go?

Maybe. As of now Sahani has only two options - remain a part of the opposition grouping or contest solo, or at most with a smaller alliance, and, most likely, end up in political oblivion.

But right now, before the election, with the promise of support from three separate communities on the plate, was his time to strike, and he took the opportunity well.

VIP chief Mukesh Sahani is the INDIA bloc's Deputy Chief Minister face (File).

Allowing him to quit could have cost the Mahagathbandhan dearly. Keeping him in the fold, even if it meant giving up a high-profile post like Deputy Chief Minister, was worth the risk.

Sahani, however, will not be the only deputy chief ministerial candidate, with others set to be named to satisfy the ambitions of high-profile members of the opposition alliance. Yadav said as much to reporters after the press conference. "... we will (also) include others from different communities..." 

#WATCH | #BiharElection2025 | RJD leader and CM face of Mahagathbandhan, Tejashwi Yadav says, "We have vision, reason and blueprint. We have an undying passion. We have a new mindset - one that brings everyone together. We have to build a new Bihar. Amit Shah and BJP did not make… pic.twitter.com/EPmdzrAJpQ

— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2025

Meanwhile, Yadav being named the chief ministerial face ends speculation the Congress is unwilling to endorse its ally. Yadav, Gehlot said, had been personally backed by Rahul Gandhi.

The ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister, rushed to Bihar to resolve differences over the alliance's campaign face, said Tejashwi Yadav had been chosen because he is "young" and "committed".

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