A peculiar twist in Bihar's upcoming assembly elections has emerged in the Darbhanga district's Gaura Bauram constituency, where Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is set to campaign against a candidate contesting under his own party's lantern symbol. This anomaly stems from unresolved frictions during seat-sharing negotiations within the Mahagathbandhan opposition alliance, leading to "friendly fights" on several seats where allies compete against each other. In Gaura Bauram, the RJD initially fielded Afzal Ali Khan, issuing him nomination documents and the party symbol before finalising the alliance deal. However, a last-minute agreement allocated the seat to ally Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), prompting the RJD to withdraw support from Khan—only for him to defy the directive and proceed with his candidacy, creating voter confusion on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The saga unfolded rapidly after the Mahagathbandhan's seat-sharing pact was sealed. Afzal Ali Khan, a local RJD leader, had already embarked on a four-hour journey from Patna to his constituency, buoyed by the party's endorsement, when the deal shifted the seat to VIP's Santosh Sahni. RJD officials urgently contacted Khan, requesting he return the symbol and step aside to honour the alliance. Khan refused, filing his nomination with valid documentation, leaving the party in a bind. Poll authorities upheld his candidature, stating they could not intervene post-filing. Consequently, the RJD and its allies will rally behind Sahni, but Khan's presence under the lantern symbol risks splitting votes in a contest where margins could prove decisive. This internal discord highlights the high-stakes bargaining within Bihar's fragmented opposition, where personal ambitions occasionally clash with collective strategy ahead of the November 2025 polls.

Bihar's electoral landscape, marked by caste dynamics and coalition volatility, has seen similar "friendly contest" mishaps before, often with ripple effects on outcomes. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rajasthan's Banswara seat witnessed a parallel drama: Congress initially backed Arvind Damor with its hand symbol, then pivoted to support Bharat Adivasi Party's Rajkumar Roat, urging Damor to withdraw. Damor vanished until after the deadline, forcing Congress leaders to campaign against their own emblem. Roat clinched victory, but Damor garnered over 60,000 votes, underscoring how such splits can erode leads in tight races. In Gaura Bauram, historical precedents add intrigue: VIP's Swarna Singh won in 2020 before defecting to BJP, while Janata Dal (United) dominated in 2010 and 2015. With the RJD positioning Tejashwi Yadav as its campaign spearhead to challenge Nitish Kumar's NDA, this episode could dent alliance cohesion in a constituency pivotal to the Yadavs' stronghold.

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As Bihar gears up for a multi-phase election expected to draw over 7 crore voters, the Gaura Bauram imbroglio serves as a cautionary tale of alliance fragility. The Mahagathbandhan, comprising RJD, Congress, and smaller parties like VIP, aims to unseat the ruling NDA, but such anomalies risk amplifying perceptions of disarray. Tejashwi Yadav's rallies against Khan may clarify the party's stance for loyalists, yet the dual lantern appearances on EVMs could confuse undecided voters, potentially benefiting BJP-JDU candidates. Poll analysts predict these friendly fights on 10-15 seats might sway 2-3% of votes bloc-wide, emphasising the need for swift damage control. With nominations closed and campaigning intensifying, the opposition's ability to navigate these quirks will test its resilience against a well-oiled NDA machinery, shaping Bihar's political fortunes for the next five years.

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