Bihar: Grand Alliance manifesto cover sparks debate over low Muslim representation

Patna, Oct 28 (IANS) The Grand Alliance on Tuesday released its common manifesto titled “Tejashwi’s Pledge” for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, but a debate has emerged over the limited representation of Muslim leaders on its cover page.

Despite the alliance’s repeated emphasis on minority welfare and the RJD’s traditional Muslim–Yadav (MY) vote base, only one Muslim leader—Abdul Bari Siddiqui—appears on the cover.

This has sparked discontent within sections of the Muslim community and among several minority leaders.

According to the 2022 caste-based survey conducted under the Grand Alliance government, Muslims constitute around 18 per cent of Bihar’s population.

Many community representatives have questioned why their participation in leadership positions does not reflect their demographic strength.

Some Muslim leaders have also pointed out that while the Nishad community, with barely 2 per cent of the population, has been given the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, the 18 per cent Muslim population has been overlooked.

The controversy gained further traction because Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani, who represents the Nishad community, features prominently on the manifesto’s cover—his photograph placed just below RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, signalling his growing stature in the alliance.

Sources said that during the October 23 announcement of the Chief Ministerial candidate at the Maurya Hotel in Patna, Mukesh Sahani initially refused to attend the joint press conference, insisting on being named Deputy Chief Minister.

His demand was reportedly accepted after discussions with the top leadership of RJD, Congress, and Left parties.

The cover of “Tejashwi’s Pledge” features photographs of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, D. Raja, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Mukesh Sahani, Rajesh Ram, Mangani Lal Mandal, and others.

The Mukesh Sahani-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) is contesting on 15 seats in the Bihar Assembly election 2025, but Mukesh Sahani is not contesting the election.

RJD is contesting on 143 seats, Congress on 61, and left parties are contesting on the remaining seats. There are a few seats where friendly fights would also take place between the candidates of the Grand Alliance.

--IANS

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