Bihar Verdict: ‘Unguided Campaign’ and Drift Decimate MGB
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav (Image credit X.com)
“Unguided Campaign” and Lost Momentum: Analyst Explains Why Mahagathbandhan Collapsed in Bihar
By AMIT KUMAR
Patna, November 14, 2025 — While the NDA is racing towards an unexpected mandate in Bihar—crossing 200 seats in a 243-seat Assembly—Bihar-based political observer Rajeshwar Jaiswal argues that the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) collapsed under the weight of its own “unguided campaign”, internal rifts, and failure to convert crowd enthusiasm into votes.
Speaking on the outcome, Jaiswal said the crowds at Mahagathbandhan rallies did not translate into votes because the alliance lacked strategic discipline. “Their campaign machinery was weak, uncoordinated and often behaved like an unguided missile,” he said. According to him, inexperienced cadres frequently made statements that the BJP and JD(U) quickly weaponised. “The BJP and Sangh know how to shape narratives on the ground. The MGB workers often did not understand the political impact of their words.”
Jaiswal argued that the NDA’s grassroots organisation outperformed the opposition by targeting every social group—large and small business communities, caste groups, and local networks—paired with a consistent message reminding voters of the “lawlessness narrative” of the 1990–2005 era. “This fear appeal worked because NDA workers carried it to every booth,” he said.
He was sharply critical of the Congress leadership as well. “When ticket distribution was happening, Rahul Gandhi vanished for 15–17 days. If you want to challenge Modi, you must work harder than him,” he said, adding that the MGB’s delays in projecting leadership and its visible internal conflicts sent a “wrong message” to voters.
Jaiswal also dismissed Tejashwi Yadav’s promise of “government jobs for every household” as unrealistic. “People did not digest it. You must explain how you will implement it. They did not offer a roadmap,” he noted.
The observer also pointed to the MGB’s “freebie-heavy” welfare announcements—₹2,500 monthly support to women, enhanced pensions, and other schemes—which, he said, backfired when the JD(U) government quickly executed its own cash transfer of ₹10,000 to women before the Model Code of Conduct. “That had a huge impact,” he said. “Nitish Kumar delivered before they could announce. That changed the game.”
On Rahul Gandhi’s multiple visits to Bihar earlier in the year, followed by a sudden absence close to polling, he said: “Rallies and optics are not enough. People want a blueprint—education, jobs, agriculture, industry. The MGB failed to present a vision that people could believe.”
In his view, the NDA’s victory is a product of strong organisation, message discipline, and strategic welfare execution, while the Mahagathbandhan “mistook crowds for votes” and paid for the lack of unity and clarity. “Anti-incumbency evaporated,” he concluded. “Nitish Kumar turned it into pro-incumbency by delivering benefits at the right moment.”
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