Mixed Bag for Bihar's Opposition Allies as Some Seats Slip Away
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The Bihar assembly elections have revealed a mixed picture for the smaller constituents of the Mahagathbandhan opposition alliance. While the Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) secured one seat, the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) led by Mukesh Sahani drew a blank in 15 constituencies. The Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, includes five smaller parties - IIP, VIP, CPI-ML (Liberation), CPI(M), and CPI. The IIP's party chief, Indrajeet Prasad Gupta, won a seat in Saharsa, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Alok Ranjan. However, the other four minor parties in the bloc combined to win only three seats. The CPI-ML(Liberation), which had won 12 seats in 2020, secured only two seats this time, while the CPI(M) won one. VIP's chief Mukesh Sahani, who was named as the Opposition bloc's deputy chief ministerial face, faced a significant setback. Sahani had initially bargained for 20 seats during seat-sharing negotiations but fielded candidates in 15 constituencies. His party's failure to win a single seat has led to speculation that it does not command significant influence among its voter base. Poll observer Vijay Kumar said, "The fact that the VIP failed to win a single seat only indicates how the party does not command a big clout among its voter base of Nishads... It reflects that Nishads and other non-OBC and EBC groups voted for the NDA in big chunks.
