The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) is a political alliance in the Eastern state of Bihar in India, formed ahead of the 2015 Vidhan Sabha elections in Bihar. The alliance is led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and includes the Indian National Congress (INC), the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)).
The Mahagathbandhan was formed in response to the growing popularity of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar. The BJP had won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, and it was seen as a threat to the traditional regional parties in the state. The Mahagathbandhan was formed to unite the opposition parties and to prevent the BJP from winning the 2015 Vidhan Sabha elections.
The Mahagathbandhan was successful in the 2015 Vidhan Sabha elections, winning 178 seats in the 243-member assembly. The BJP won 53 seats, and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) won 71 seats. The Mahagathbandhan formed a government in Bihar with the RJD's Nitish Kumar as the chief minister.
The Mahagathbandhan has been facing challenges since 2017, when the JD(U) left the alliance and joined the NDA. The JD(U)'s decision to leave the alliance was seen as a major setback for the Mahagathbandhan. The alliance has also been facing internal problems, with the RJD and the Congress often clashing.
Despite the challenges, the Mahagathbandhan remains a potent force in Bihar politics. The alliance has the potential to win the 2020 Vidhan Sabha elections, and it could also play a major role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Here are some of the key features of the Mahagathbandhan:
- It is a coalition of four parties: the RJD, the Congress, the CPI, and the CPI(M).
- It is led by the RJD.
- It was formed in response to the growing popularity of the BJP in Bihar.
- It was successful in the 2015 Vidhan Sabha elections, winning 178 seats in the 243-member assembly.
- It has been facing challenges since 2017, when the JD(U) left the alliance and joined the NDA.
- It remains a potent force in Bihar politics.
The Mahagathbandhan is an important political alliance in India. It has the potential to win elections in Bihar and to play a major role in national politics. The future of the alliance will depend on how it is able to overcome the challenges it is facing.
