Four candidates from the opposition coalition in Bihar withdrew their nominations to allow allies to contest selected seats for the assembly election. The three individuals from the Indian National Congress and one from the Vikassheel Insaan Party stepped aside in favour of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, illustrating tighter coordination within the coalition known as the Mahagathbandhan ahead of the vote. The withdrawals took place as the deadline for nominations closed for 122 constituencies on 23 October.
In the Warsaliganj constituency, INC candidate Satish Kumar withdrew in favour of the RJD’s Anita Devi Mahato, while in Lalganj, INC’s Aditya Kumar pulled out to support RJD’s Shivani Shukla. In Babubarhi, VIP candidate Bindu Gulab Yadav stepped down to back RJD’s Arun Kumar Singh, and in Pranpur, INC’s Tauquir Alam withdrew to endorse the RJD’s Ishrat Parween.
The moves signal the alliance’s effort to present clearer prize-fights rather than internal seat contests, but they also expose underlying tensions among partners over seat-sharing. The INC has for months faced pressure to reduce the number of seats it contests in the state to make way for primary allies. A letter from party managers indicated the list has been narrowed to around 23 seats this cycle – far fewer than the 70 contested previously.
The VIP’s decision to withdraw its candidate in Babubarhi follows a broader retrenchment of the party’s ambitions. The VIP’s nomination paper for the Sugauli constituency was rejected by election officials and the party has now contested only 12 seats in total within the alliance.
These withdrawals come as the alliance formally endorsed the RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate. That endorsement has prompted efforts to reduce overlapping candidacies and internal competition, but analysts caution that multiple constituencies still reflect tensions between the INC and its partners.
In constituencies where candidates withdrew, party workers described the decision as a means to avoid splitting the coalition vote and strengthen the chosen nominee’s chances. One INC functionary remarked, “Strategic withdrawals avoid friendly fights that erode our prospects,” while an ally acknowledged that “seat discipline is critical when the stakes are highest.” Local observers flagged that even with these strategic pulls, unhappy cadre and sidelined aspirants may still hinder full mobilisation on the ground.
The move also underscores an electoral dynamic in which the Mahagathbandhan faces the rival Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance in contests across the state’s 243 assembly seats. Experts note that for the opposition alliance, consolidating ticket distribution and eliminating internal competition are among the only viable paths to challenge the ruling camp’s organisational depth and resource advantage. The counting date is set for 14 November.
Critics argue that the withdrawals may also reflect growing resentment within partner parties. In some districts, local leaders say they were not consulted before the top-down decision was taken. One VIP cadre told a reporter that “decision making is happening in Patna and Delhi, not at the grassroots,” hinting at a deeper disconnect. Such signals point to potential challenges in translating strategic decisions into effective campaign execution.
In the broader electoral machinery, the deadline for withdrawal of candidatures concluded on 23 October, after which the candidate list for phase 2 of polling in 122 constituencies was finalised. Over 1,300 candidates remain in the fray after the withdrawal window closed, and campaign managers across alliances are now focusing on voter outreach, alliance messaging and mobilising social-coalition groups such as the Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes.
For now, the spotlight will be on how voters respond to the streamlining of candidatures and whether the strategic consolidations by the Mahagathbandhan yield the desired alignment on the ground, especially as the NDA continues to mobilise its organisational network and resources.
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