7 months ago
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With the deadline for filing nominations for some phases of the Bihar Assembly predetermination ending connected Monday (October 20, 2025), the Mahagatbandhan oregon Opposition confederation has fielded 253 candidates, 10 much than the full fig of seats successful the Bihar Assembly. Smaller allies are pointing fingers astatine some the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress for taking the negotiations down to the wire, leaving small elbow country for others.
In 5 seats — Vaishali, Narkatiaganj, Sikandara, Kahalgaon, and Sultanganj — the Congress and the RJD candidates are facing disconnected against each other. In the past Assembly election, the Congress had unsuccessfully contested each 5 of these seats. In Sikandara, the Congress mislaid by 5,505 votes, portion its losing borderline successful Vaishali was 7,413 votes.
In different 4 seats — Bihar Sharif, Raja Pakar, Bachchwara and Kargahar — the contention is the Congress versus the Communist Party of India. Of these, the Congress won the Raja Pakar and Kargahar seats successful the 2020 election, and their incumbent legislators are again successful the fray. The Vikassheel Insaan Party and RJD are besides facing disconnected against each different successful 1 seat.
Amidst each this tussling, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which was portion of the archetypal rounds of negotiations, was not offered immoderate berth.
External and interior flak
The Mahagatbandhan is hoping to displacement the communicative backmost towards Opposition unity. “In a time oregon two, we volition beryllium presenting our associated manifesto. It volition beryllium presented by elder leaders of each constituent parties,” a elder RJD person said.
The concern has prompted cheer successful the ruling National Democratic Alliance, with respective leaders calling retired the disorder successful the Opposition camp.
However, respective Mahagatbandhan leaders besides raised questions astir the prolonged negotiations that went down to the wire. CPI wide caput D. Raja said, “RJD and the Congress are the larger parties successful Bihar and they should person settled their ain spot negotiations successful specified a mode that different allies are besides accommodated well. After all, we are not asking for a immense share… We are asking for lone a fewer seats.” The CPI was offered six seats, the aforesaid fig it contested successful 2020. However, it has present fielded candidates successful 9 seats.
Downplaying discord
CPI(ML) leaders besides accused the RJD of citing the excuse of caller partners successful the Mahagatbandhan for not raising their party’s spot share, portion the RJD lone shaved disconnected 1 spot from its ain 2020 stock of 144 seats. The RJD is contesting the highest fig of seats successful this election.
However, CPI(ML) wide caput Dipankar Bhattacharya said that it is simply a closed contented now. “There is simply a clarity among people, they privation a change. Heartburn among those denied seats and specified disorder aboriginal during the run is natural. Its interaction should not beryllium overestimated,” helium said.
The RJD’s Buxar MP and erstwhile Agriculture Minister Sudhakar Singh noted that the NDA excessively is not escaped of problems, with Home Minister Amit Shah himself raising questions astir Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership. “Jitan Ram Manjhi [of HAMS] continues to talk retired against the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Upendra Kushwaha [of RLM] meantime has openly said that helium feels cheated and is keeping distant from the campaign. Our differences are magnified portion the problems wrong the NDA are underplayed,” Mr. Singh said.
