Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan, a grand alliance of Opposition parties, is fighting battles within itself instead of putting together a united front against the ruling NDA. As the nomination process closed on Monday, a picture of division has emerged, with the constituent parties fighting each other in some seats and one party leaving the alliance.

The Mahagathbandhan consists of the RJD, the Congress, the CPI-ML, the CPI, the CPM, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). The JMM, which is an I.N.D.I.A bloc ally of the Congress and the RJD in Jharkhand, has opted out of the contest after its demand for six seats was rejected. Its leader, Hemant Soren, has alleged a conspiracy and said JMM would review its alliance in Jharkhand, where the party is in power with the Congress and the RJD as partners.

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