Updated: November 10, 2020 12:14:27 pm
The left, once a major political force in Bihar, fell to the margins in the last two Assembly elections.
Going back the years, left-wing parties, which fared poorly in the 2015 elections, lead in almost 20 seats in Bihar after Tuesday’s first round of voting. Of the 29 electoral districts handed over to left-wing parties in this year’s state elections, the CPI (ML) contested in 19 seats, and the CPI and CPM in six and four seats, respectively.
According to the latest trends, the left-wing parties – CPI, CPI (M) and CPI (ML) – fighting the elections in alliance with RJD and Congress, are leading in Agiaon, Arrah, Arwal, Balrampur, Bibhutipur, Darauli, Daraundha . , Dumraon, Ghosi, Karakat, Manjhi, Matihani, Paliganj, Tarari, Warisnagar, Ziradei, Bachhwara and Bakhri seats. Follow live updates of Bihar 2020 election results
The left, once a major political force in Bihar, fell on the sidelines in the last two Assembly elections. In 2010, only CPI managed to win one seat, while in 2015, CPI (ML) won three seats while the other two left-wing parties were left blank.
In addition to the mutual conversion of votes with the RJD and Congress, the left parties appear to have contributed two more crucial elements to the Grand Alliance: all three are cadre-based parties, which helped increase the reach of the Mahagathbandhan, and their loyalty is not in doubt because ideologically they are on the other end of the spectrum from the BJP.
Exit polls had also predicted gains for the left, especially the CPI (ML), given that the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan message of economic justice was aggressively promoted by his cadre. The India Today-Axis exit poll had predicted that the IPC (ML) could win 12-16 seats out of 19 contested.
Mahagathbandhan, however, faces stiff competition from the BJP-led NDA alliance. After taking the initial momentum, Mahagathbandhan has ceded his leadership to the NDA, which has crossed the halfway point of the 122 seats needed to secure a majority in the Bihar Assembly. This comes despite JD (U) admitting defeat early on.
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