The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) rank and file has expressed growing resentment toward its alliance partner Congress following the Mahagathbandhan's failure to secure even one seat in the recent Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) achieved a clean sweep of all five contested seats on March 16, 2026, including victories for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JD(U)), BJP National President Nitin Nabin, and others. The opposition's defeat stemmed largely from the absence of four MLAs—three from Congress and one from RJD—during voting, which prevented the alliance from reaching the required 41 votes for their candidate, Amarendra Dhari Singh, despite support from AIMIM and BSP legislators.

The abstentions have sparked sharp criticism within RJD circles, with many grassroots workers and supporters directly blaming Congress for the lapse. Reports indicate that the missing Congress MLAs—Surendra Prasad Kushwaha from Valmiki Nagar, Manoj Biswas from Forbesganj, and Manohar Prasad Singh from Manihari—along with RJD's Faisal Rahman from Dhaka, were untraceable in the days leading up to the poll. Opposition leaders alleged intimidation, poaching attempts, and possible inducements by the ruling side, though the NDA dismissed these claims. The shortfall reduced the Mahagathbandhan's effective votes to 37, allowing the NDA's 202 MLAs to dominate the process and secure the fifth seat through preference transfers.

This setback has deepened fissures in the INDIA bloc's Bihar unit, where RJD cadres view the Congress's failure to ensure full attendance as a sign of organizational weakness or disloyalty. Internal voices within the RJD have highlighted frustration over repeated coordination issues in the alliance, with some accusing Congress of not pulling its weight despite its smaller but crucial legislative presence. The incident echoes broader tensions in the opposition camp, where trust deficits have occasionally surfaced amid electoral challenges against the NDA's dominance in the state.

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The NDA's triumph bolsters its position in the Upper House, with Nitish Kumar and Nitin Nabin among the prominent winners transitioning to Rajya Sabha roles. For the Mahagathbandhan, the outcome represents a missed opportunity to challenge the ruling coalition's narrative of stability and strength. RJD leaders have called for introspection, while Congress figures have countered by pointing to alleged external pressures on their MLAs, though the blame game has intensified discontent at the ground level.

As Bihar politics absorbs the results, the episode underscores the fragility of opposition unity in the face of disciplined NDA mobilization. With the alliance already under scrutiny after previous electoral performances, the fallout from this Rajya Sabha defeat could prompt renewed efforts at coordination—or further strain relations between RJD and Congress ahead of future contests.

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