The Mahagathbandhan’s ambitious attempt to reclaim power in the Bihar assembly election fell short as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) projected a landslide victory on over 200 seats, with early leads revealing deep structural weaknesses within the Opposition bloc.

A mix of organisational lapses, a stagnant caste coalition, the persistence of the “Jungle Raj” narrative, Congress’s insistence to harp on the ‘Vote Theft’ allegation made the circumstances tough for the Mahagathbandha to win the assembly polls.

Rashtriya Janata Dal entered the 2025 contest with its traditional Muslim-Yadav (MY) vote bank, together constituting roughly 30 per cent of Bihar’s electorate. While historically robust, this foundation was insufficient in a triangular and highly competitive election. RJ

See Full Page