Bihar assembly is turning out to be a litmus test both for NDA and the Mahagathbandhan coalitions. After seeing two major allies quitting the NDA- first the Shiv Sena and now the Akali Dal — now the Paswan led LJP is digging its heels. The JD(U) and BJP have agreed to share seats in 122- 121 ratio while LJP is to fight in 143 seats. This leaves the RJD Tejaswi Yadav and Congress which are the only faces of the Mahagathbandhan except for the Left as none of the others are to be seen. The Mahagathbandhan is in tatters and is unable to capitalise on the failures of the Sudhashan babu. Moreover, the Mahagathbandhan has little fodder against Nitish rule.
Unemployment and bad state revenue is an international issue with the Covid 2019 epidemic and cannot be blamed on Nitish. However, the issue of Bihari migrant labourers being obstructed to enter Bihar has not occurred to the Mahagathbandhan which is engrossed in its own pulls and pressures. Currently JD (U) has 69 seats while BJP has 54 LJP has 2 seats while HAM has 1 plus independents. Given the antincumbency factor the LJP has decided to fight in 143 seats many pitted against JD(U). Political pundits see an antiincumbency wave against Nitish Kumar. With this the JD(U) has already to resorted to the Modis face to win votes this time.
It is learnt that the campaigning this time unlike last elections, will have Modi as the star face. TINA is the last resort. All this while Chirag Paswan is waiting in the wings looking for tactic support to form the winning player to form the govt. Meanwhile there are several smaller parties like HAM and VIP gauging opportunity to shifting their support to the winning party. Since 2015, the BJP has gained grounds in Bihar. Even as the BJP has announced Nitish Kumar as its CM face for Bihar the fact remains with antiincumbency factor against him gives BJP a hidden advantage. If BJP improves its seats share in the impending elections then it may dump Nitish Kumar midway to form its own govt with LJP and allies in the mid term and have its own CM.
