Bihar’s political landscape is witnessing renewed turbulence as tensions within the Mahagathbandhan deepen over unresolved seat-sharing arrangements. What was intended to be a united front against the ruling coalition has instead devolved into internal rivalry, with multiple constituencies now fielding competing candidates from allied parties. The resulting contests are not just exposing cracks in the Grand Alliance but also raising concerns about its ability to project unity in the run-up to the high-stakes Assembly elections.
The Mahagathbandhan, composed of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India (CPI), and smaller left-leaning allies, initially sought to consolidate opposition strength across Bihar. However, disagreements over seat allocation have resulted in friction, with several regions now witnessing head-to-head battles between partners who were expected to cooperate. In constituencies like Vaishali, the infighting is especially apparent, where Congress candidate Sanjeev Kumar and RJD’s Ajay Kushwaha are directly pitted against each other, symbolising a broader disarray in coordination.
A similar confrontation is unfolding in the Lalganj Assembly segment, also in Vaishali district, where Shivani, daughter of political strongman Munna Shukla, is contesting under the RJD banner, while the Congress has fielded Aditya Kumar Raja. The clash between two Mahagathbandhan parties in the same seat underscores how local ambitions and differing seat expectations have overridden coalition discipline.
Elsewhere, in the Bachhwara Assembly seat of Begusarai district, the situation is no different. Awadhesh Kumar Rai, contesting independently, faces competition from Congress nominee Shiv Prakash Garibdas, a reflection of the internal fragmentation that threatens to split the opposition vote. In Darbhanga’s Gaura Bauram constituency, the contest between RJD’s Afzal Ali Khan and VIP’s Santosh Sahni, brother of party leader Mukesh Sahani, adds yet another layer of complexity to the alliance’s already volatile dynamics.
The discord extends to other constituencies as well. In Rosera, Samastipur district, Lakshman Paswan from the CPI finds himself challenged by Congress candidate VK Ravi, while in Rajapakar, the Congress has nominated Pratima Das to face CPI-ML’s Mohit Paswan. Even Biharsharif is witnessing a similar internal clash between Umer Khan of Congress and Satish Yadav of CPI, showing that the friction is widespread and not confined to a few pockets.
As the seat-sharing impasse worsens, top national leaders have stepped in to defuse tensions. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav have all reportedly held talks urging partners to find a middle ground. They have emphasised that continued disunity could undermine the Mahagathbandhan’s chances against the ruling NDA, which stands to benefit from the fractured opposition vote base.
Despite these interventions, the alliance remains strained. Reports indicate that while the RJD has agreed to allocate 61 seats to the Congress, it remains firm on retaining key constituencies such as Kahalgaon, Narkatiyaganj, and Vasaliganj, which the Congress also seeks. The delay in finalising seat distribution has contributed to growing impatience among candidates and local party workers, many of whom have already filed nominations to avoid missing deadlines.
Initially, the Congress took an assertive position, buoyed by the perceived momentum from Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Adhikar Yatra, which party leaders believed had improved their grassroots appeal. However, the party eventually softened its approach, releasing a preliminary list of 48 candidates—including Garib Das for Bachhwara—even before the final seat-sharing agreement was concluded. This unilateral move has only compounded tensions within the alliance.
With elections scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11, the Grand Alliance faces an uphill battle to regain coherence. Political observers note that these intra-alliance clashes not only confuse voters but also risk diminishing the Mahagathbandhan’s credibility as a cohesive alternative. The visible discord, they argue, could allow the ruling BJP-led coalition to capitalise on the fractured opposition by consolidating its hold over key constituencies.
As nomination deadlines close, Bihar’s electoral battlefield is emerging as one of intense and unpredictable competition. The upcoming polls are no longer just a contest between opposing alliances but also a test of survival for the Mahagathbandhan’s internal stability. The ability of its leaders to reconcile differences and present a unified front will be decisive in shaping the alliance’s electoral fortunes. Without swift resolution, the Grand Alliance may find itself weakened not by external rivals but by the very divisions within its own ranks.
