Bihar elections: JMM’s exit exposes cracks in Mahagathbandhan as BJP targets ‘leadership failure’

Bihar elections: JMM’s exit exposes cracks in Mahagathbandhan as BJP targets ‘leadership failure’

The internal cracks within Bihar’s opposition Mahagathbandhan have widened, giving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a fresh political opportunity ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The latest blow came as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced its exit from the alliance in Bihar, sparking sharp criticism from the BJP, which called the rift a “leadership failure.”

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya took to social media to target the opposition. “Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has released the list of its candidates in Bihar and announced that it is no longer a part of the Mahagathbandhan. Not only this, the party also said that the alliance in Jharkhand will be reconsidered after the Bihar elections. The arrogance of Rahul [Gandhi] and Tejashwi [Yadav] is the real reason for the collapse of the Mahagathbandhan. Bihar is saved," he posted on X.

Malviya’s comments underscore the BJP’s line of attack, that ego clashes between RJD and Congress leaders have undermined the opposition’s unity before the first vote is cast.

The JMM’s decision to contest a limited number of seats independently follows a seat-sharing deadlock that has plagued the Mahagathbandhan. While the NDA has finalised its seat distribution, opposition negotiations remain mired in dispute, even as nominations for the first phase have closed.

At the core of the tussle lies the RJD–Congress standoff. The RJD, the senior partner, is offering around 58 seats, while Congress insists on 65, citing its national presence. The RJD, however, points to Congress’s poor 2020 strike rate, winning just 19 of 70 seats, to justify its stance.

Smaller allies, too, are growing restless. The CPI(ML)-Liberation, which performed strongly in 2020, is pressing for a proportionate share, while Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) is reportedly upset after being offered just around a dozen seats.

Adding to the turmoil, candidates from different Mahagathbandhan constituents have filed nominations against each other in constituencies such as Bachhwara and Rajapakar, revealing visible cracks in coordination. Alliance leaders have downplayed these overlaps as “temporary,” but the public optics suggest confusion and mistrust.

Meanwhile, the BJP-led NDA has projected a united front, announcing a seat-sharing pact with the JD(U) (101 seats each), LJP (Ram Vilas), RLM, and HAM. BJP leaders are leveraging the opposition’s disarray, dubbing the Mahagathbandhan a “Lathbandhan”—an alliance of chaos—and shifting the narrative to the opposition’s instability rather than their own governance record.