NEW DELHI: As nominations for Phase 1 of the Bihar assembly elections closed on Friday, the NDA appeared battle-ready, its candidate list finalised, campaign plan rolled out.Across the aisle, the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan (or INDIA bloc), led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), continues to debate who fights where. Congress and RJD, which are still holding talks, have also declared a few of its candidates for the high-prestige contest. This, obviously, has given a big ammunition to the NDA which has claimed that the Mahagathbandhan has crumbled even before the contest.Yet, despite the optics of confusion, alliance leaders insist the delay signals expansion, not disarray. Optics vs realityCongress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been part of the opposition bloc’s discussions, said such coordination takes time. “Coordination matters more than speed,” he quipped, adding that the bloc’s final list would be announced soon.Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday also questioned why NDA was concerned about Mahagathbandhan’s deal. Khera informed that candidates were filing their nominations and the procedure for seat distribution was under way. He affirmed clearance on the situation and mentioned that the Mahagathbandhan government will be formed in Bihar. “The work is going on very well, symbols are being distributed. Those who have to file nominations are also doing so. The process has started… Very soon, the entire situation will be clear to everyone. The Mahagathbandhan government is going to be formed. Why is the NDA raising questions? They should think about themselves,” Khera told ANI.“Not a sign of disintegration”CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya dismissed speculation of infighting within the opposition alliance.”People may feel there is chaos in the INDIA bloc. But the delay in announcing seats is because more constituents are on board this time. It’s definitely not a sign of disintegration,” he told PTI.Bhattacharya revealed that his party, which won 12 of the 19 seats it contested in 2020, would field roughly the same number this time. A bigger bloc, more arithmeticThis year’s Mahagathbandhan is more crowded than in 2020, when it included the RJD, Congress, and the three Left parties — CPI(ML), CPI, and CPI(M).Now, Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) has joined the fold, while talks are under way with Hemant Soren’s JMM, which wants to contest a few border seats.Congress, meanwhile, has released its first list of 48 candidates even before the seat-sharing formula was finalised – a move that signalled both impatience and self-confidence. Among the key names are state chief Rajesh Ram (Kutumba), CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan (Kadwa), and Youth Congress chief Prakash Garib Das (Bachhwara).In Bachhwara, however, CPI’s Awadesh Roy has also filed papers, creating what insiders call a “friendly contest”, a common phenomenon in Bihar’s multi-party coalitions.Sources within the bloc told PTI said RJD has tentatively agreed to allot 61 seats to the Congress, with some negotiations still underway over high-stakes constituencies.Friendly fights and withdrawal loopholeIn India’s electoral playbook, such overlaps between allies are common. When alliances negotiate till the last minute, parties often field ‘friendly’ candidates in the same seats, using the withdrawal window to clean up overlaps once the deal is sealed. The withdrawal window, which opens after nominations close, gives them room to tidy up overlaps once the final deal is sealed. Candidates in overlapping seats typically withdraw nominations at the last minute, leaving only the officially endorsed name in the fray.With the Phase 1 withdrawal deadline on Monday, and Phase 2 deadline on Thursday, several overlapping candidates are likely to quietly withdraw once the bloc finalises its list.Not the first messy startThis isn’t the first time Bihar’s opposition has walked into an election season with unresolved seat-sharing issues.In 2020, the RJD and Congress sparred till the eleventh hour over key constituencies, and yet, the alliance went on to deliver one of its strongest performances in years, falling just short of defeating the NDA. The Grand Alliance registered win on 110 seats out of 243. Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD emerged as the single largest party in the assembly and he was election leader of opposition in the assembly.The Left parties contested as part of the alliance and performed notably well, especially CPI-ML(L) that won 12 seats. Congress secured 19 seats.That precedent might have made leaders more relaxed about the optics of delay.NDA’s campaign mode onThe NDA, by contrast, has its machinery in motion. The JD(U) and BJP are contesting 101 seats each, with allies LJP (Ram Vilas), RLM, and HAM covering the rest.The BJP’s 40-member star campaigner list, led by PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, signals a high-energy campaign. Chief minister Nitish Kumar, seeking his 10th term, is pitching continuity and stability, while the opposition bets on discontent, voter fatigue and anti-incumbency.The first phase of voting will be held on November 6, the second on November 11, and counting on November 14. For now, the NDA may have the early advantage in optics, but Mahagathbandhan’s late start may not necessarily have an impact on the final results. Go to Source