Mahagathbandhan Poster Row, Key INDIA Bloc Leaders Missing from Alliance Display

Patna, Oct 23: The joint press conference of the Mahagathbandhan in Patna on Thursday sparked a controversy when the banner at the venue showed only RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, with photographs of other top INDIA bloc leaders noticeably absent. The image quickly went viral on social media, igniting debates over the alliance’s cohesion ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

The press conference marks the first major public appearance of the Mahagathbandhan leaders amid lingering disputes over seat-sharing arrangements among INDIA bloc constituents. After days of internal squabbles, Congress and RJD leaders met on Wednesday to try and present a united front against the ruling NDA. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot flew to Patna to meet RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav.

“I had a good discussion with Lalu ji. An impression has been created as if the INDIA bloc was fraying at the seams in Bihar. It is far from the truth. If there is a friendly fight in five or ten seats out of 243, it is not something very big. We are going to take on the NDA as a team. Tomorrow, there will be a press conference where all doubts will be put to rest,” Gehlot said after the meeting.

Despite these assurances, the BJP seized upon the poster controversy. Danish Iqbal, BJP’s state media in-charge, said in a social media post, “The ongoing infighting within the INDIA bloc is now out in the open… Earlier, Rahul Gandhi was not considered Tejashwi’s equal in the alliance. Now, Tejashwi has removed Rahul Gandhi from the posters. This poster itself is a declaration of the breakup of the Grand Alliance.”

RJD leaders were not immediately available for comment on the issue.

The 243-member Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results expected on November 14.