The Crippling Failure of the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal Amid Tight Deadlines

In a significant blow to the opposition’s hopes for unity ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar has failed to formalize its seat-sharing arrangement, with the tight deadline for nominations now bearing down on the constituent parties. This public display of internal discord signals confusion and tussles within the alliance, casting a shadow of doubt on their collective strategy to challenge the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Despite the nomination window for the second phase of the Bihar Assembly Election closing today, Monday, October 20, the crucial announcement regarding the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal remained elusive. The failure to reach a consensus, particularly between key players like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, threatens to undermine the Mahagathbandhan’s electoral prospects from the outset. Polling is scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results due on November 14.

The Immediate Consequences of the Failed Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal

The delay has already led to concrete breaks within the coalition and has forced parties into chaotic, last-minute decisions.

• JMM Goes Solo: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has publicly announced its decision to contest the Bihar assembly elections independently after the broader alliance could not seal a pact for the initial phases.
• “Friendly Fights”: In a sign of deep disunity, constituents of the Mahagathbandhan are reportedly engaged in “friendly fights” in a number of constituencies, meaning they will field candidates against each other, effectively splitting the opposition vote.
• Congress Releases Lists: Amid the deadlock over the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal, the Congress party proceeded to release its first list of 48 candidates, followed by a second list, acting unilaterally to secure its position in the contest.

Internal Turmoil and Accusations Regarding the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal

The external failure to reach a deal has been accompanied by embarrassing public spats and serious allegations of corruption within the main constituent party, the RJD.

The internal issues plaguing the alliance include:

1. Ticket Allegations: A recent controversy saw RJD leader Madan Shah break down in public, claiming he was promised a ticket for the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls by the RJD. He alleged that upon his failure to pay a demanded amount of Rs 2.7 crore for the candidature, his ticket was transferred to another candidate.
2. Delay Justification: Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya stated that the delay in deciding the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal was largely due to the time taken to accommodate Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). Bhattacharya also highlighted a noticeable lack of consensus among alliance partners on several key constituencies. (The CPI(ML) itself has settled for 20 seats).
3. RJD’s Family Focus: Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin (NDA) claimed that the uncertainty stems from the RJD’s inability to move beyond “Lalu chalisa,” alleging their sole focus remains on securing tickets for family members and ignoring the principle of alliance dharma.

NDA’s Response and the Mahagathbandhan’s Defense

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been quick to seize the narrative, highlighting the Mahagathbandhan’s dysfunction as a sign of their unsuitability to govern.

• Minister Nitin Nabin: Described “uncertainty” in the opposition, asserting that the alliance cannot function due to unclear strategy and intentions, claiming the basis of the Mahagathbandhan is to “loot each other.”
• Minister Prem Kumar: Expressed confidence in the NDA’s united front and declared that the “countdown” for the Mahagathbandhan has already begun, confident that the people of Bihar have rejected the governance of the previous RJD and Congress regimes.

Conversely, the Mahagathbandhan leadership maintains a positive public posture despite the setbacks:

• Congress’s Pawan Khera: Insisted that the details of the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal have been completely finalized. He claimed that the only remaining step is the announcement, which will be made at the “right time and place.”
• Congress’s Udit Raj: Highlighted the success of Congress’s ongoing ‘Voter Bachao Yatra’ and confirmed that the INDIA alliance would soon announce its campaign to counter the BJP’s efforts.

The continued impasse over the Bihar Mahagathbandhan Deal, coinciding with the final nomination deadlines, presents a formidable challenge to the opposition’s united front. The coalition needs more than assurances to overcome the growing perception of chaos and division if it hopes to mount a credible campaign against the organized and united NDA.