RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said that the seat-sharing formula being finalised — with RJD expected to contest around 125, which is 19 seats fewer than 143 seats contested in 2020seats, Congress 50-55, and the Left about 25 — will be accompanied by the deputy CM promise. The remaining seats will be divided among other alliance partners like VIP, LJP (led by Ramvilas Paswan’s brother Pashupati Kumar Paras) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

“This formula is a clear indication that Tejashwi Yadav has emerged as the coalition’s undisputed chief ministerial face. This is his masterstroke to rebrand the RJD’s legacy, where he wants to move beyond the perception of Yadav-centric politics to something more layered — one that brings Dalits, EBCs and minorities into visible power,” he said.

Praveen Singh Kushwaha of the Congress said that the proposed three-deputy CM formula underscored Rahul Gandhi’s effort to temper dominance with inclusivity. “The symbolic decision is an effort to reclaim the narrative of social justice in a more plural form,” he said.

VIP spokesperson Dev Jyoti said that this formula reflects the farsightedness of Tejashwi Yadav. “Latest by Thursday evening, Tejashwiji will be declared as chief ministerial candidate of alliance and one of his deputies will be our leader Mukesh Sahni,” he said.

Ram Pukar Sharma, the general secretary and spokesperson of Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha, said that all leaders of mahagathbandhan are specialists of making air castles. “They know that their alliance will not even reach to three digits, but they are making announcements. They must also declare the names of their council of ministers,” he said.

Anil Kumar Singh of the Jan Suraaj Party called it a “fake message” ahead of the elections and practically impossible.

“It’s hard for them to reach the magical number of 123. This plan comes at this point as Tejashwi fears that Mukesh Sahni of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), who has declared himself as next deputy CM, could not switch his sides. Power-sharing of this scale could trigger bureaucratic overlap and internal rivalry...One should not forget that it also risks diluting Tejashwi’s own authority,” he said.