Bihar Campaign Begins, But Opposition's Internal Battle Has Already Started
Opposition alliance fractures as candidates clash in Bihar elections.
The filing of nomination papers for the 2025 Bihar assembly elections concluded on October 20, 2025, revealing deep cracks within the opposition INDIA bloc. With 1,314 candidates competing for 121 constituencies in the first phase of polling on November 6, the coalition, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is grappling with internal conflicts and rebellions that threaten its unity.
The RJD, the largest party in the opposition alliance, announced 143 candidates but faces challenges from within and outside the coalition. In several constituencies, such as Lalganj, Vaishali, and Kahalgaon, RJD candidates are pitted against Congress nominees, highlighting a lack of coordination. The Congress, contesting 61 seats—five fewer than in 2020—is also dealing with dissent over ticket distribution, with loyalists of Independent MP Pappu Yadav securing nominations over sitting MLAs, sparking discontent among party ranks.
The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), led by Mukesh Sahni, scaled back its ambitions from demanding 40-50 seats to contesting just 16 after negotiations faltered. In Tarapur, VIP’s candidate Sakaldeo Bind withdrew and joined the BJP, while in Gaura Boram, confusion arose when RJD’s candidate Afzal Ali refused to step down despite the party’s endorsement of Sahni’s brother. Meanwhile, in Parihar, RJD’s women’s wing chief Ritu Jaiswal is running as an Independent, upset over the ticket allocation.
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The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, with a strong 2020 strike rate, is contesting 20 seats, while the CPI and CPI(M) are fielding nine and four candidates, respectively. Infighting is evident in constituencies like Bachhwara, Rajapakar, and Rosera, where Congress and CPI candidates are in direct competition.
The nomination process wasn’t without drama. RJD’s Sasaram candidate Satyendra Sah was arrested by Jharkhand Police shortly after filing his papers, marking the third such incident involving INDIA bloc candidates. CPI(ML) candidates Jitendra Paswan and Satyadeo Ram faced similar arrests, prompting allegations of politically motivated actions by the ruling NDA.
As Bihar heads toward the polls, the fractured INDIA bloc struggles to present a united front against the NDA, which has governed the state for two decades. With anti-incumbency sentiments looming, the opposition’s disarray could cost them dearly in this high-stakes election.
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