Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Patna, Oct 21: As Bihar gears up for its upcoming elections, the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) finds itself in visible disarray, with internal rifts surfacing through overlapping candidate nominations across key constituencies. An analysis of the finalised lists reveals that the alliance is heading toward direct contests in at least 11 seats — a development that raises questions over the bloc's coordination and threatens to fragment the opposition vote just weeks ahead of polling.

Despite prolonged back-channel negotiations and several high-level meetings, the opposition has failed to present a unified front. The most glaring fault lines lie between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, which are set to face off in six constituencies: Vaishali, Sikandra, Kahalgaon, Sultanganj, Narkatiaganj, and Warsaliganj. Meanwhile, the Congress will also lock horns with the CPI in four seats — Bachhwara, Rajapakar, Bihar Sharif, and Karghar — highlighting further dissonance within the alliance.

The situation is compounded by Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), which will compete against its own ally, the RJD, in at least two constituencies — Chainpur and Babubarhi.

Although the picture may still shift before October 23, the final day for withdrawal of nominations for the second phase, some battles are now inevitable. In constituencies like Bachhwara, Rajapakar, and Bihar Sharif — all set to vote in the first phase — the withdrawal deadline has already passed, locking in intra-alliance face-offs.

One of the most dramatic contests is brewing in Mahua, where the RJD’s Mukesh Raushan is up against Tej Pratap Yadav, the estranged son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. Tej Pratap, expelled from the RJD earlier this year, now heads his own outfit — Janshakti Janata Dal. The family feud adds a personal dimension to the already fractured opposition landscape.

The lack of a formal seat-sharing announcement, even after the nomination deadline for the second phase ended on October 20, has not gone unnoticed by the ruling NDA. BJP allies, especially Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, were quick to pounce.

"The Mahagathbandhan is giving the NDA a walkover on many difficult seats," Paswan said, calling the alliance "a big alliance on the verge of a split." Taking a jab at the opposition’s claim of “friendly fights,” he remarked, “There is nothing called a friendly fight. Either you are friends or you are fighting. You can’t contest elections against each other and still claim unity.”

Political analysts suggest that such internal clashes could weaken the Grand Alliance significantly by dividing its vote base, ultimately handing an advantage to the BJP-led NDA. With the clock ticking toward election day, the opposition now faces not just the challenge of taking on a formidable incumbent, but also of salvaging coherence within its own ranks.