Dipankar Bhattacharya: The Glue Holding Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan Together

Last Updated:October 24, 2025, 10:49 IST

Just last week, the Mahagathbandhan was on the brink of collapse after Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) objected to its reduced seat share.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav with CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani during joint press conference of the Mahagathbandhan, in Patna. (Image: X/yadavtejashwi)

At a time when Bihar’s opposition alliance was wobbling under pressure from competing demands and mutual mistrust, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML)-L] general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya quietly emerged as the coalition’s unifying force. His intervention helped defuse tensions, sustain dialogue, and prevent yet another political breakup in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly election.

Just last week, the Mahagathbandhan was on the brink of collapse after Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) objected to its reduced seat share. Sahani, who had initially been promised 35 constituencies but was later offered barely half that number, publicly hinted that his party could reconsider its participation in the alliance and even called for a press conference to announce his decision.

As tempers rose, it was Dipankar Bhattacharya who stepped in, urging Sahani to withhold his press conference and instead write to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, reaffirming his commitment to the INDIA bloc. That single act of mediation created the space for a conciliatory phone call between Gandhi and Sahani, which eventually sealed the truce.

Leaders across the alliance privately acknowledged that this behind-the-scenes diplomacy prevented a serious fracture in the opposition front.

The CPI(ML)-Liberation, buoyed by its strong performance in the 2020 Assembly polls, had initially pushed for around 30 seats arguing that it had outperformed the Congress in several regions. In the previous election, the party had won 12 out of 19 seats it contested.

However, to ensure that smaller partners like VIP remained within the alliance and that the larger opposition bloc appeared cohesive, the party eventually agreed to contest 20 seats.

Hours after releasing its list of candidates last week, Dipankar Bhattacharya took to Facebook to explain the decision in unusually frank terms. He admitted that the limited seat share had left several deserving candidates disappointed but said the party had chosen coalition strength over numerical ambition.

“Many of our activists and well-wishers were expecting the list of CPI(ML) candidates in #BiharElection2025 to be a bit longer with a few more names from a few more districts. That did not materialise, but we are glad that we have been successful in ensuring a slightly bigger coalition this time with the participation of a few more parties," Bhattacharya wrote.

He added that the alliance had mutually agreed to avoid ‘friendly fights’ in any seat and that the CPI(ML) had abided by that understanding despite its reduced tally.

“We hope the INC and RJD, and any other party currently facing overlaps, are able to sort out their seat-sharing issues before withdrawal of nominations," he noted.

In the same post, Bhattacharya acknowledged that many grassroots workers had been left out of the final list due to “imbalances" created by coalition arithmetic. Yet, he urged party members to see the campaign as a collective struggle, not merely an electoral exercise.

“Elections are a form of collective struggle where an individual plays the role of a candidate only with the hard work of hundreds of activists and the goodwill of thousands of citizens," he wrote, reminding cadres of the CPI(ML)’s long history of sacrifice and repression.

By accepting fewer seats and publicly explaining the compromise, Bhattacharya signalled that ideological integrity and alliance unity must take precedence over individual gains. His stance not only strengthened the Mahagathbandhan’s credibility but also calmed growing restiveness within Left ranks, who had expected broader representation.

Leaders from across the bloc privately credit Bhattacharya with setting the tone for cooperation and discipline at a time when both the RJD and Congress were engaged in prolonged negotiations over overlapping claims. His consistent message that the goal was to defeat the BJP-led NDA, not each other, helped keep the alliance’s focus intact.

Days after Bhattacharya’s appeal for restraint, the Mahagathbandhan held a joint press conference in Patna, projecting itself as a united front ready for battle. Announcing Tejashwi Yadav as the CM face and Mukesh Sahani as the Deputy CM face, top leaders of the RJD, Congress, CPI(ML)-Liberation, CPI, and CPI(M) shared the stage reaffirming their commitment to collective campaigning under a single banner.

The event served as a visual declaration of the bloc’s unity following weeks of friction. While the CPI(ML) had accepted a smaller share, its presence alongside major allies underscored the Left’s continued relevance within the coalition.

Notably, sources suggest that it was Dipankar Bhattacharya who first initiated discussions on Mukesh Sahani’s demand to be made Deputy Chief Minister. Though the final decision received approval from the Congress and RJD leadership, insiders say Dipankar despite not seeking any post or additional seats for his own party advocated the move to ensure Sahani’s inclusion and satisfaction, further reinforcing the alliance’s cohesion.

News elections Dipankar Bhattacharya: The Glue Holding Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan Together

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