Bihar's Grand Alliance may crumble under its own weight

The Grand Alliance in Bihar, comprising five political parties, including the RJD and the Congress, may crumble under its own weight. The inherent contradictions and inflated egos of its leaders could deflate the alliance which was loosely stitched to oppose the BJP-led NDA.

Sources in the Congress confirmed with DH on Sunday that rising aspirations of the alliance partners could spell doom for the Mahagatbandhan (as Grand Alliance is known here), even before the ball could be set rolling for the Bihar Assembly polls.

The Grand Old Party as well as the RJD have been keeping a close tab on recent developments particularly those of Upendra Kushwaha of the RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party), Jitan Ram Manjhi (ex-CM and president of Hindustani Awam Morcha) and Mukesh Sahni, a self-styled leader of Nishads, who floated VIP (Vikassheel Insaan Party) on the eve of parliamentary polls.

Together, these three leaders recently held parleys and proposed that the Mahagatbandhan be led by former Union Minister Sharad Yadav, who was kicked out as the JD (U) chief after he turned rebel against Nitish Kumar.

“The Lok Sabha elections, where these three constituents of the Mahagatbandhan performed miserably and were unsuccessful in transferring their votes to the GA candidates, provide the clearest evidence that they (Kushwaha, Manjhi and Sahni) are more a liability than an asset,” a senior Congress leader, who earlier served as Bihar Congress president, told DH.

The Congress as well as RJD have taken umbrage over the manner in which these three leaders proposed the name of Sharad Yadav, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as the RJD candidate from Madhepura (and lost), without taking the RJD or the Congress into confidence.

“There is leadership crisis in the Grand Alliance in the absence of Lalu Prasad. It will be better if Sharad Yadav is projected as the GA’s chief ministerial candidate,” said Kushwaha, in the meeting which was not attended by the RJD or the Congress.

However, such stand of Kushwaha has not gone down well with the main Opposition party in Bihar.

“There should be no confusion to anyone in the Mahagatbandhan. Tejashwi Yadav will be our chief ministerial candidate,” reiterated State RJD president Jagadanand Singh.

His sentiments were echoed by RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha. “Sharad ji is a national leader. He will play an active role at the national level,” said Jha, dismissing the theory floated by other Mahagatbandhan leaders.

The Congress was more scathing. “It will be better if Grand Alliance comprises only of RJD and the Congress,” the senior AICC functionary told DH.