Tejashwi upfront, youth, women, jobs focus as Mahagathbandhan unveils manifesto

Addressing the media, Tejashwi described the manifesto as a “practical and implementable” vision to develop Bihar, and declared: “Even if it takes our lives, we are committed to fulfilling every pledge.”

Accusing JD(U) supremo and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and ally BJP of “failing Bihar’s youth”, Tejashwi said: “We do not just want to form a government, we want to present a roadmap to make Bihar a developed state. Each declaration in this manifesto has been made from the heart.”

RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Pawan Khera during the release pf Mahagathbandhan’s Bihar Election manifesto- ‘Bihar ka Tejashwi Pran’- in Patna on October 28, 2025. (Express Photo by Chitral Khambhati)

Within 20 days of assuming office, the Mahagathbandhan promises, it will bring a law guaranteeing one government job for one member of every family, and that within 20 months, the recruitment process will begin. With employment generation one of the key issues of the election, a government job for every family – first promised by Tejashwi – is seen as a gamechanger by the RJD.

The manifesto also commits to giving preference to Bihar residents in employment through a domicile policy, regularising contractual and outsourced employees, and restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government workers. The promise to restore OPS has been a key guarantee by the INDIA bloc across several recent elections, and was seen as crucial to the Congress’s victory in Himachal Pradesh.

With thousands of Bihar youths appearing for government recruitment exams, the alliance pledges to abolish examination and form fees for competitive tests and to provide free travel for candidates to and from exam centres. It also promises strict action against paper leaks and examination irregularities.

A Mahagathbandhan government would set up a ‘Department for Migrant Workers’, with a digital database of migrants’ details, says the manifesto, and establish ‘Bihar Mitra Kendras’ in cities which see a high number of migrants from Bihar.

The 32-page-long ‘Bihar ka Tejashwi Pran’ (Tejashwi’s resolve) was released at a crowded press conference where the 35-year-old RJD leader (pictured) was joined by alliance partners. (Express Photo by Chitral Khambhati)

For women, the manifesto talks about the Mahagathbandhan’s ‘Mai-Bahin Maan Yojana’ promise, under which women will receive Rs 2,500 per month for five years, as well as the BETI and MAI schemes. These are meant to provide education, training, and income support for “daughters”, and housing, food, and livelihood support for “mothers”. A women’s college will be established in every sub-division and new degree colleges in 136 blocks that currently lack one, says the manifesto.

It further promises to make all Jeevika community mobilisers permanent government employees with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000, waive the interest on their existing loans, and offer them interest-free loans for two years. They would also receive Rs 2,000 monthly allowance for additional work, while Jeevika cadre presidents and treasurers would be paid an honorarium, says the manifesto.

As part of its “zero tolerance” against crime and corruption, the Mahagathbandhan manifesto says that the tenures of police officers, including SPs and SHOs, would be fixed and they would be held accountable for law and order in their jurisdiction.

Seeking to expand its OBC vote base, the Mahagathbandhan promises a ‘Most Backward Classes Atrocity Prevention Act’, and increase in reservation for Extremely Backward Classes in panchayats and urban bodies from 20% to 30%, and for SC/STs from 16% to 20%. The manifesto says a Mahagathbandhan government will bring a scholarship scheme that would fund 200 SC/ST students for higher studies abroad every year.

As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been asserting, the coalition says it will pass a law raising Bihar’s reservation limit beyond 50% and seek its inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, putting it beyond court intervention.

The manifesto also talks of minority rights, repeats the promise made by Mahagathbandhan leaders to not implement the Waqf (Amendment) Act, and promises transparent management of Waqf properties. It also states that Buddhist temples in Bodh Gaya will be managed by members of the Buddhist community.

For job creation, the manifesto proposes IT parks, Special Economic Zones, dairy-based and agro-based industries, renewable energy projects, and food processing and tourism ventures. An ‘Educational City’ on 2,000 acres, five new expressways, and new industry clusters are also part of its promises, along with a “labour census” as a step towards helping workers with financial help and skill training.

Besides, traditional occupational groups such as barbers, potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, cobblers and gardeners will get Rs 5 lakh interest-free assistance for five years, says the manifesto.

In agriculture, the Mahagathbandhan guarantees procurement of all crops at Minimum Support Price and promises to revive the mandi system and the APMC Act – major demands of farmers. The daily wage under the MGNREGA will be raised from Rs 255 to Rs 300, it says, with the total days of employment promised under it doubled from 100 to 200.

The other promises include 200 units of free electricity for every household, monthly pension of Rs 1,500 for widows and senior citizens, free health insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh per family under the Jan Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, and extension of CGHS-type healthcare benefits to state government employees. A Mahagathbandhan government will also envisage special facilities for the specially abled, says the manifesto.

One of the Mahagathbandhan’s promises, incidentally, is “a high-level initiative” to ensure the return of money of investors allegedly stuck with the Sahara India Group.

Tejashwi said that the Mahagathbandhan was ahead of the NDA in declaring both its CM face and manifesto, and said: “This shows their lack of direction… We want to make Bihar, they only want to capture Bihar.”

He said the people of Bihar were ready for change. “They want a government that provides employment, quality education, world-class universities and hospitals, free from corruption.”