The Grand Alliance in Bihar led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Indian National Congress (INA) is proving to be neither grand nor an alliance. As the nomination process for the second phase of the Assembly elections closed on Monday, what emerged was a picture of utter confusion and collapse. Far from presenting a united front against the ruling National Democratic Alliance of the BJP and JD(U), the Opposition has splintered into warring factions fighting one another rather than their common adversary. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is an ally of the Congress in Jharkhand, wanted to contest six seats in Bihar but could not even file nominations before the deadline ended, an astonishing example of disorganisation and mismanagement.

In several constituencies, the RJD and

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