Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)
Mahagathbandhan महागठबंधन | |
|---|---|
| Chairperson | Tejashwi Yadav |
| Allies seats = 108 |
|
| Founded | 2015 |
| Bihar Legislative Assembly | 108 / 243 |
Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) was a coalition of political parties in the Eastern state of Bihar in India, formed before the 2015 legislative elections in Bihar.[1]
The alliance consisting of Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Congress parties won the majority of the seats and formed the government in the state.[2] On 26 July 2017 Nitish Kumar broke the alliance and resigned from Chief Minister post.[3]
History
On 7 June, Lalu Prasad Yadav announced the RJD was joining in an alliance with the JDU for the election.[4][5] On 13 July, he led a march demanding that the central government release its findings of the Socio Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC) on caste,[6][7][8] although Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan pitched for a comprehensive classification of caste data of SECC 2011 before its release,[9] and also said Lalu, Nitish will be worst impacted from the caste data even if its released.[10][11] BJP Leader Sushil Kumar Modi called for a rectification of errors in the cases of 1.46 crore people in India, including 1.75 lakh in Bihar, before releasing the caste data.[12]
On 3 August, incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared that he would not stand in the election.[13][14] On 11 August, he announced the seat-sharing forumula, according to which JD(U) and RJD will contest 100 seats each, while Congress will contest 40 seats in Bihar.[15] NCP pulled out of this alliance later.[16] On 23 September, Nitish Kumar announced the list of 242 candidates for the JDU-RJD-INC alliance.[17][18][19] OBCs were most favoured in the alliance ticket distribution plan.[20][21][22] 10% of tickets were allotted to women candidate by the alliance.[23]
Nitish Kumar was the declared chief ministerial candidate for the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). Kumar started his Har Ghar Dastak (door-to-door) campaign on 2 July.[24][25][26] Initially there were definite political overtures when both Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar shared stage together in a public[27] event commemorating former chief minister Satyendra Narain Sinha's birth anniversary that witnessed veiled attacks on each other, the last time[28] they did it in public. Prashant Kishor was a key election strategist for the alliance.[29][30] The Janata Dal-United started 400 audio-visual vans called Jan Bhagidari Manch[clarification needed] for the campaign.[31] Kumar is launching 'Bihar Samman Sammelan' in various cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, to connect with the Bihari diaspora.[32]
Current members
| No | Party | Current No. of MLAs in Bihar Assembly (As of 1 June 2018) | Current No. of MLCs in Bihar Council (As of 1 June 2018) |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="background-color:Template:Rashtriya Janata Dal/meta/color; text-align: center;" | 1 | Rashtriya Janata Dal | 81 | 9 |
| style="background-color:Template:Indian National Congress/meta/color; text-align: center;" | 2 | Indian National Congress | 27 | 3 |
| style="background-color:Template:Rashtriya Janata Dal/meta/color; text-align: center;" | - | Total | 108 | 12 |
References
- ^ "Nitish alliance way ahead of BJP, wins 31 of 39 seats declared so far". Telegraphindia.com. 2015-11-08. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
- ^ "Reasons behind JDU-RJD-Congress Mahagathbandhan's massive win in Bihar elections". News18. 2015-11-08. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
- ^ "Nitish Unties Himself From Alliance, Says He Quit in Bihar's Interests". News18. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
- ^ "Lalu, Nitish seal the deal: RJD, JD(U) form alliance for Bihar polls, seat sharing talks on cards". Firstpost.
- ^ "Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav alliance may be a 90-seat worry for BJP".
- ^ "Lalu leads march for caste census data".
- ^ "Lalu's Ultimatum to Modi Government on Caste Census Data".
- ^ "Caste census data demand is 'jehad': Lalu".
- ^ "'Ram Vilas Dalit face wherever you go, Jitan Ram Manjhi can be Mahadalit face'".
- ^ "Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar to be hit hardest if caste data released: Paswan".
- ^ "Lalu Prasad Yadav , Nitish Kumar to be hit hardest if caste data released: Ram Vilas Paswan".
- ^ "Caste census data to be release after error correction: Sushil Modi".
- ^ "Won't contest Bihar polls, will devote time for campaigning, says Nitish Kumar".
- ^ "Won't contest Bihar elections: Nitish Kumar".
- ^ "Nitish Kumar Announces Seat-Sharing Formula For Bihar Elections: JD(U)-RJD To Contest On 100 Seats Each, Congress 40".
- ^ "Bihar elections: NCP pulls out of anti-BJP alliance, may contest alone".
- ^ "Bihar polls: Nitish Kumar releases 'joint list' of 242 candidates, OBCs get lion's share".
- ^ "Nitish Kumar yields, Lalu Prasad gets both his sons an Assembly ticket each".
- ^ "Nitish-led alliance releases list of 242 candidates for Bihar polls".
- ^ "OBCs most favoured in alliance plan".
- ^ "In Bihar elections, it is my social combination versus yours".
- ^ "Bihar elections: OBCs and Dalits 70% in Nitish list, upper castes 42% in BJP". The Indian Express. 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Little room for women in Nitish's 'Grand' design". The Times of India.
- ^ "Har Ghar Dastak: Nitish's Bihar strategy is old fashioned door-to-door campaigning".
- ^ "Nitish sounds poll bugle with 'Har Ghar Dastak'".
- ^ Sajjad, Mohammad (8 November 2015). "How Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav won Bihar". rediff.com. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "They may have 'amicably' come to a seat-sharing agreement, but 15 months of tumultuous relationship later, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav still remain frenemies". Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Giant slayer". Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Team 178: Faces behind Grand Alliance's victory in Bihar polls".
- ^ "Amit Shah vs Prashant Kishor: Who will be the wizard of Bihar election?".
- ^ "BJP's hi-tech chariots and JDU's Jan Bhagidari Rath setting mood for a high-voltage battle in Bihar".
- ^ "Nitish, BJP to woo Bihari diaspora".