The Mahagathbandhan (MGB)—Bihar’s opposition alliance of RJD, Congress, and Left parties—suffered a crushing defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite a united front, the NDA’s dominance remained unshaken. Here’s a deep dive into the five critical factors behind MGB’s collapse:
1. Internal Squabbles: How Friendly Fights Sank the Alliance
Seat-sharing disputes and last-minute candidate changes plagued the MGB. Rebel independents from Congress and Left parties split anti-NDA votes, gifting BJP easy wins in tight contests. The alliance’s public unity masked deep-rooted friction.
2. Lalu’s Shadow: Leadership Void & Legacy Backlash
Tejashwi Yadav’s energetic campaign couldn’t replace Lalu Prasad Yadav’s mass appeal. With Lalu sidelined by health/legal issues, older voters missed his charisma. Meanwhile, BJP weaponized corruption cases to revive fears of “Jungle Raj,” swaying undecided voters.
3. NDA’s Caste Masterstroke & Modi’s Cross-Cutting Appeal
BJP-JD(U)’s caste coalition (upper castes, EBCs, Dalits) and Modi’s welfare-security narrative outshone Tejashwi’s jobs-and-agriculture pitch. Modi’s pan-Bihar rallies transcended caste, fracturing MGB’s traditional base.
4. Weak Ground Game: MGB’s Campaign Chaos
NDA’s booth-level machinery and micro-targeting dwarfed MGB’s disjointed efforts. RJD’s urban weakness, Congress’s decline, and Left’s irrelevance left gaps in voter outreach. Over-reliance on rallies over grassroots work hurt turnout.
5. Losing the Narrative War
BJP framed the election as “stability vs. chaos,” while MGB’s reactive messaging on social justice failed to stick. Hindutva and nationalism drowned out local issues, exposing the alliance’s lack of a compelling vision.
Conclusion: Can MGB Rebound Before 2025?
To survive, MGB must fix internal strife, rethink leadership beyond Lalu’s legacy, and rebuild grassroots networks. Tejashwi needs allies to match NDA’s strategy—or risk irrelevance in Bihar’s brutal politics.
— NextMinuteNews
