Internal conflict, fight over CM post, delayed campaign take a toll on INDIA

Poor performance of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc in the Bihar Assembly election has raised serious concerns over the leadership of the alliance.

The delay in its campaign, the internal conflict over seat distribution, and rigidity over the chief ministerial candidate are some of the major issues that did not allow Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) to take off.

Though its top leaders such as Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi tried to show a united front in public, the infighting within the alliance impacted its cohesiveness. Selection of candidates and seat distribution at the eleventh hour, when the last date of the nomination was near, led to distraction among the voters.

The RJD being rigid about Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate also cost the alliance dear. The tug of war between the RJD and the Congress over the CM face had become so intense that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) senior observer for the Bihar Assembly election, Ashok Gehlot, had to fly to Patna to meet Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav.

This particular reason delayed the election campaign. Only after Mr. Yadav was named the CM candidate on October 23, did he start his election campaign. 

Mr. Yadav got only 17 days to campaign and in this short period, he could devote only less time to every public meeting that he addressed. Initially, he started with 10 to 12 public meetings daily, but as days progressed, he had to address nearly 18 public meetings to cover all 243 Assembly segments.

The way Mr. Yadav was adamant on being the CM nominee, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani insisted on being the Deputy CM candidate, which again spoiled their image among the public.

Allegations against the Congress over the “sale” of ticket, as well as the party’s decision to drop candidates who won the last election, did not go down well with the electorate.

Mr. Yadav who was heading the INDIA bloc made several election promises, including government job to one member of every family – seen by many as impractical.

During the entire campaign of the RJD and the Congress, attack on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and vote chori (vote theft) was the central theme, which did not work on the ground. Not only this, the friendly fight within the alliance in 12 Assembly seats led to division of votes.

For the last one decade, the RJD was the single largest party, winning 75 seats in the last Assembly election. This time, the RJD fielded 143 candidates, the maximum among the INDIA bloc, but fared miserably.

The worst performance was by the VIP, which could not open an account. Mr. Sahani was given 15 seats in the alliance.

Similarly, the Congress was given 62 seats, of which it won six seats. The performance of all three Left parties in Bihar was equally poor with the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) winning two seats out of the 20 seats it contested. The CPI(M) won one seat.