<p>Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan, a grand alliance of Opposition parties, is fighting battles within itself instead of putting together a united front against the ruling NDA. As the nomination process closed on Monday, a picture of division has emerged, with the constituent parties fighting each other in some seats and one party leaving the alliance. </p><p>The Mahagathbandhan consists of the RJD, the Congress, the CPI-ML, the CPI, the CPM, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). The JMM, which is an I.N.D.I.A bloc ally of the Congress and the RJD in Jharkhand, has opted out of the contest after its demand for six seats was rejected. Its leader, Hemant Soren, has alleged a conspiracy and said JMM would review its alliance in Jharkhand, where the party is in power with the Congress and the RJD as partners.</p>.<p>Even after weeks of negotiations, the RJD and the Congress have not agreed on a seat division arrangement. They are set to fight each other in at least five seats where there is no agreement. The Congress and the CPI may be headed for “friendly fights” in some seats. In two seats, the RJD will take on the VIP. The RJD is contesting 143 seats, one less than the 144 it contested in 2020, and the Congress is contesting 61 seats, nine less than in 2020. </p><p>The Mahagathbandhan was pitched by its leaders as an inclusive coalition that would accommodate all social groups. There was even a proposal to allot seats to the recently formed Indian Inclusive Party (IIP), which represents two small communities. That even the main constituents of the alliance have not been able to accommodate each other sends out a message of discord.</p>.<p>An electoral alliance needs to present a united face and a common platform when it goes to the people. Here, the parties appear to be working towards their individual post-election tallies, not at their collective outcome – disunity can prove costly for the coalition. Mutual suspicion, unreasonable expectation, inflated ambition, and a reluctance to make compromises in common interest seem to be affecting the credibility of the alliance. </p><p>There are also divisions within the parties. The distribution of tickets has not gone very well. The Mahagathbandhan was buoyed by the large crowds seen in the Voter Adhikar Yatra held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. But issues and attitudes shift; appearances and perceptions of organisational cohesion are important in elections. The alliance has not put its best foot forward in a crucial race with national consequence.</p>
<p>Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan, a grand alliance of Opposition parties, is fighting battles within itself instead of putting together a united front against the ruling NDA. As the nomination process closed on Monday, a picture of division has emerged, with the constituent parties fighting each other in some seats and one party leaving the alliance. </p><p>The Mahagathbandhan consists of the RJD, the Congress, the CPI-ML, the CPI, the CPM, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). The JMM, which is an I.N.D.I.A bloc ally of the Congress and the RJD in Jharkhand, has opted out of the contest after its demand for six seats was rejected. Its leader, Hemant Soren, has alleged a conspiracy and said JMM would review its alliance in Jharkhand, where the party is in power with the Congress and the RJD as partners.</p>.<p>Even after weeks of negotiations, the RJD and the Congress have not agreed on a seat division arrangement. They are set to fight each other in at least five seats where there is no agreement. The Congress and the CPI may be headed for “friendly fights” in some seats. In two seats, the RJD will take on the VIP. The RJD is contesting 143 seats, one less than the 144 it contested in 2020, and the Congress is contesting 61 seats, nine less than in 2020. </p><p>The Mahagathbandhan was pitched by its leaders as an inclusive coalition that would accommodate all social groups. There was even a proposal to allot seats to the recently formed Indian Inclusive Party (IIP), which represents two small communities. That even the main constituents of the alliance have not been able to accommodate each other sends out a message of discord.</p>.<p>An electoral alliance needs to present a united face and a common platform when it goes to the people. Here, the parties appear to be working towards their individual post-election tallies, not at their collective outcome – disunity can prove costly for the coalition. Mutual suspicion, unreasonable expectation, inflated ambition, and a reluctance to make compromises in common interest seem to be affecting the credibility of the alliance. </p><p>There are also divisions within the parties. The distribution of tickets has not gone very well. The Mahagathbandhan was buoyed by the large crowds seen in the Voter Adhikar Yatra held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. But issues and attitudes shift; appearances and perceptions of organisational cohesion are important in elections. The alliance has not put its best foot forward in a crucial race with national consequence.</p>
