Ambition Over Arithmetic In Bihar

The Grand Alliance in Bihar led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Indian National Congress (INA) is proving to be neither grand nor an alliance. As the nomination process for the second phase of the Assembly elections closed on Monday, what emerged was a picture of utter confusion and collapse. Far from presenting a united front against the ruling National Democratic Alliance of the BJP and JD(U), the Opposition has splintered into warring factions fighting one another rather than their common adversary. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is an ally of the Congress in Jharkhand, wanted to contest six seats in Bihar but could not even file nominations before the deadline ended, an astonishing example of disorganisation and mismanagement.

In several constituencies, the RJD and Congress, the principal pillars of the Mahagathbandhan, are fielding rival candidates. The Left parties too—CPI, CPI(M), and CPI(ML)—are competing against both the Congress and the RJD in different seats. In short, the so-called Grand Alliance resembles a crowded battlefield rather than a coalition of purpose. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the youthful leader of the RJD and the declared chief ministerial face of the alliance, has failed to achieve what politics at its simplest demands—unity of ranks. He and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi together had managed to generate a flicker of hope among the electorate when they shared a platform during the “Vote Chori” campaign. There was, and still is, a perceptible anti-incumbency mood against the NDA government, aggravated by repeated incidents, such as the collapse of bridges under construction. Yet, instead of harnessing this discontent, the Opposition parties have squandered public goodwill through petty quarrels and ego clashes. Even within the RJD and Congress camps, dissent is rife. Ticket distribution has triggered rebellion, defections, and allegations of favouritism.

The RJD’s decision to field a candidate against Congress state president Rajesh Ram in Kutumba constituency has deepened mistrust. The JMM’s plan to go solo on six seats, and the entry of minor players like the Indian Inclusive Party, have added to the chaos. In contrast, the BJP and the JD(U) have managed to close ranks, finalise their seat-sharing swiftly, and coordinate with smaller partners. They are poised to benefit from the perception of stability, however fragile, and from an efficiently managed and well-oiled electoral machinery. Ideally, the Opposition should have forged a pragmatic and forward-looking seat-sharing deal rooted in mutual accommodation. Instead, it has allowed ambition to overshadow arithmetic. If the NDA wins again, the Opposition will have no one but itself to blame. Historians and psephologists will note not merely that the Mahagathbandhan lost, but that it snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.