Bangladesh, Nov. 4 -- Bihars political theatre has once again demonstrated a familiar truth of Indian elections: alliances win only when they remain intact. The widening cracks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress in the run-up to the state assembly elections have transformed what was meant to be a united opposition into a fragmented front — inadvertently handing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a tactical edge.

The alliance that couldnt hold

On paper, the Mahagathbandhan — the grand alliance of RJD, Congress, and smaller regional outfits — was envisioned as a formidable counterweight to the BJPs dominance. In practice, it has become a theatre ...