Patna: A controversy erupted on Thursday after the photographs of top INDIA bloc leaders were found missing from a banner at the venue of the much-anticipated joint press conference of the Mahagathbandhan in Patna. The banner, which went viral on social media, carried only a large image of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, leaving out key allies such as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others.
Viral banner fuels speculation
The banner’s selective display sparked speculation over the internal unity of the INDIA bloc, especially amid ongoing tensions regarding seat-sharing for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The joint press conference — the first of its kind in weeks — was expected to project a show of strength among Mahagathbandhan constituents.
However, the viral image featuring only Tejashwi’s photograph has led to criticism from opposition parties and raised questions about the alliance’s internal cohesion.
Congress, RJD attempt to mend ties
After days of friction over seat-sharing that saw both parties fielding candidates against each other in several constituencies, the Congress and RJD attempted a rapprochement on Wednesday. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot met RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav in Patna to defuse tensions.
“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,” Gehlot told reporters. He added that the scheduled joint press conference would help “put all doubts to rest.”
BJP targets alliance over ‘poster politics’
Reacting to the banner controversy, BJP state media in-charge Danish Iqbal took a jibe at the Mahagathbandhan, claiming the poster exposed the internal discord within the alliance.
“The ongoing infighting within the INDIA bloc is now out in the open. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi did not consider Tejashwi as the face of the alliance. Now, Tejashwi has removed Rahul Gandhi from the posters. This poster itself is a declaration of the breakup of the Grand Alliance,” Iqbal wrote in a social media post.
No official comment was available from the RJD regarding the matter.
Bihar polls ahead
The controversy comes at a crucial juncture, as Bihar gears up for the upcoming assembly elections, with voting scheduled to take place in two phases. The 243-member Bihar Assembly is witnessing intense political activity, as the INDIA bloc attempts to consolidate its position against the ruling NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
While the alliance hopes to project unity, the latest banner controversy has once again drawn attention to the fragile nature of its coalition dynamics.