Congress-RJD unease grows in Bihar

After the Bihar assembly election loss, internal differences within the Mahagathbandhan have begun to surface, with leaders from both the Congress and the RJD openly reflecting on the alliance's future. A meeting of Bihar Congress leaders was held in Delhi on Friday with the party high command, where several leaders argued that the Congress should now consider going solo to rebuild its base. Sources told ET that the leadership assured them a decision would be taken at

an appropriate time. In Bihar, former Congress CLP leader Ajit Sharma attributed the defeat to "friendly fights" between the Congress and the RJD. Responding to reports that the Congress is weighing a solo path, RJD Bihar president Mangni Lal Mandal said, "If Congress wants to go alone, who can stop them? Our party has a support base, and whoever is in alliance is because of our voters." RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and senior Congress figures have refrained from commenting, but sources told ET that unease within the alliance is evident, with both sides blaming each other for the setback.