Bihar Elections: INDIA Alliance in Disarray on Final Nomination Day, NDA Appears Strong

Today is the final day for filing nominations for the second and concluding phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections, while amidst this crucial period, the opposition INDIA alliance continues to face significant uncertainty and confusion regarding seat-sharing arrangements. In contrast, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has largely resolved its. Internal differences and presents a united front, appearing strong for the upcoming polls.

INDIA Alliance Faces Internal Strife

The constituent parties of the INDIA alliance are embroiled in intense squabbles over several constituencies. A major setback for the alliance came with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Announcing its decision to contest six seats in Bihar independently, abandoning the alliance. This move is particularly damaging, especially after alliance leaders had emphasized the need to bring in new partners.

RJD and Congress at Loggerheads

The largest party in the alliance, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has begun distributing tickets to its candidates, though a complete list is yet to be released. In a contentious move, the RJD has fielded candidates against its own alliance partners in several constituencies, leading to heightened tensions. Meanwhile, the Congress, after releasing an initial list of 48 candidates, has now announced five more names, including for the Kishanganj seat. Here, the party replaced its sitting MLA with a leader who defected from AIMIM, sparking allegations of ticket selling, though party leaders maintain that a compromise is imminent.

NDA's Position and Challenges

The lack of coordination within the INDIA alliance is evident from the fact that at least eight seats could see two candidates from the same alliance contesting against each other. Three of these seats might witness direct contests between the RJD and Congress. On the other hand, the ruling NDA isn't entirely free of issues either, while the JD(U) made a last-minute change to its candidate for the Amour seat, fielding former BJP leader Sabir Ali, who was expelled from the party in 2014 for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NDA also faced embarrassment in the Marhaura constituency, where the nomination of Bhojpuri actress-turned-politician Seema Singh, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate, was rejected on technical grounds. Paswan, however, has submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission, requesting a reconsideration of the decision due to a minor oversight.