Bihar : RJD led Mahagathbandhan to hold crucial strategy meeting in amid NDA’s Nitish poster blitz

As the political temperature rises in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, the Mahagathbandhan—comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, CPI(ML), and other allies—is set to hold a crucial meeting today (Thursday) at the RJD headquarters in Patna. The meeting assumes significance as it comes just a day after the NDA projected Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as its CM face through prominent posters across the state.

Top leaders from all constituent parties of the Mahagathbandhan are expected to attend, with a packed agenda that includes discussions on election strategy, seat-sharing arrangements, and the likely chief ministerial candidate for the alliance.

Interestingly, as per the sources, the meeting may also see the participation of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) supremo Mukesh Sahani—two leaders whose next moves are being closely watched in Bihar's volatile political landscape.

This gathering follows a high-level meeting held on Tuesday (April 15) at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Delhi, where senior leaders of the Congress and RJD, including Tejashwi Yadav, deliberated on alliance matters. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Tejashwi had remarked, “Whatever issues remain will be resolved together through discussion.”

Seat-sharing, however, continues to be a contentious issue. Sources claim that the Congress, despite its lackluster performance in the 2020 elections, is unwilling to settle for less than 70 seats. The party had contested 70 seats last time but could win only 19—its low strike rate being seen by many political observers as a key factor in the alliance's failure to form the government. The RJD, which contested 144 seats in 2020 and won 75, had emerged as the single largest party.

Adding to the complexity, VIP chief Mukesh Sahani has reportedly demanded 60 seats this time, further intensifying the internal negotiations within the alliance. Political analysts believe the Mahagathbandhan will need to strike a delicate balance between ambition and realism if it hopes to mount a serious challenge to the NDA in the forthcoming polls.

Notably, Nitish Kumar had originally parted ways with the Mahagathbandhan back in 2017 to rejoin the NDA fold—a move that significantly altered the political dynamics of Bihar. With his face now once again splashed across NDA posters as their CM candidate, the Mahagathbandhan’s response strategy, to be shaped in today’s meeting, could be crucial in setting the tone for the campaign ahead.

All eyes are now on the RJD office in Patna, where the future contours of the opposition alliance in Bihar may begin to take shape.