Manjhi had previously severed ties with the grand alliance after spending two and a half years in the opposition coalition, which comprises RJD, Congress, RLSP and Bollywood set designer turned politician Mukesh Sahni Vikasshil Insaan Party (VIP). Manjhi is the only member of his party in the assembly. But their induction would help the NDA reach out to Dalits, particularly the Paswans who form the LJP’s base of support. Dalits in Bihar represent more than 16% of the electorate and are reserved for around 40 seats in the 243-member chamber. Manjhi had left the JD (U) in 2015 after being forced to resign as prime minister to make way for Kumar’s return. He later formed the HAM (S) and contested 21 seats in the 2015 Bihar assembly elections as a constituent of the NDA. With Kumar’s return to the NDA in July 2017, he withdrew to join the opposition group.
As far as the Grand Alliance is concerned, the three main left parties, the CPI, the CPI (M) and the CPI-ML, are ready to join the Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress and speculation. It is common for Kanhaiya Kumar to be the star activist in an attempt to overthrow the NDA’s electoral strategy.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the RJD-Congress combination made efforts to have an electoral understanding with the left-wing parties, but this was unsuccessful as the RJD had sent Tanveer Hassan from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat against Kanhaiya Kumar. Finally, Kanhaiya finished third behind BJP candidate Giriraj Singh and the RJD in a triangle fight.
As the talks failed, the CPI, CPI (M), CPI-ML, the Center for Socialist Unity of India (Communist) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party had decided to run in all electoral districts on a joint ticket to provide an alternative platform. . The CPI had contested in 91 seats, while the CPI-ML fought in 78 seats and the CPI (M) in 38 seats.
However, the CPI-ML reached an understanding with the RJD on the seat of Arrah Lok Sabha against Union Minister RK Singh. Quid pro quo, the RJD left the Arrah seat for the CPI-ML, which did not present any candidate for the Patliputra seat from where Lalu Prasad’s daughter, Misa Bharti, fought unsuccessfully against the former Union Minister of State , Ram Kripal Yadav.
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