A significant political maneuver has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding the opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. At a recent press conference, posters and banners featured the symbols of all allied parties except for a photograph of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a detail seized upon by BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. He derided the coalition as ‘very weak,’ citing the missing photo as evidence of internal discord.
Prasad, speaking in Patna, questioned the cohesiveness of an alliance where a prominent leader like Gandhi is excluded from visual representation. He further highlighted seat-sharing disputes, noting the alliance is contesting more seats than available in the Bihar assembly and that key figures are competing against each other. This, he argued, signals a lack of strategic alignment and a fragile foundation for the Mahagathbandhan.
The BJP leader also invoked past corruption allegations against the RJD, mentioning Lalu Prasad Yadav’s convictions and the ongoing legal challenges faced by Tejashwi Yadav. He cautioned the people of Bihar against entrusting their future to a party he claims is synonymous with corruption, asserting that their lives would become ‘miserable.’ BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala further fueled the criticism, suggesting the RJD might perceive Gandhi as a ‘liability’ and that the alliance suffers from a lack of direction, marked by ‘division and confusion.’ The political landscape of Bihar is gearing up for elections, with the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan as the primary contenders. The assembly polls are scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11.