The Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) in Bihar may have taken an early lead over the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by releasing its manifesto first, but its cover has sparked a political storm — not for its promises, but for its presentation.

The image of Tejashwi Yadav, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Chief Ministerial face of the alliance, occupies centre stage on the manifesto’s cover, while Rahul Gandhi’s photo appears only as a small thumbnail in the corner.

BJP’s swipe over Congress ‘sidelines’

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wasted no time in taking a dig at the alliance, saying the Congress had again been “shown its place” within the Mahagathbandhan.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“Joint PC? But only one picture. Rahul Gandhi & Congress ka ‘samman chori’. Showed Congress & Rahul his place?”

He further alleged that the RJD had “virtually bullied and threatened” its ally, forcing the Congress to accept Tejashwi Yadav as the face of the alliance. According to him, the RJD had warned that it would offer “zero seats” if the Congress refused to comply.

Old controversy resurfaces

This is not the first time visuals have stirred tensions within the alliance. Earlier, when Rahul Gandhi’s image was missing from the Mahagathbandhan posters, the BJP had made similar jibes, accusing the RJD of overshadowing the Congress.

At that time, the saffron party claimed that the absence of Rahul Gandhi’s photograph reflected the Congress’s waning influence in Bihar’s opposition coalition.

The fresh controversy over the manifesto cover is being seen as a continuation of that narrative — with Tejashwi’s leadership being amplified while Congress’s presence remains symbolic.

Seat-sharing friction within the alliance

The seat-sharing talks between the RJD and the Congress have so far failed to yield a final consensus. Both parties have fielded candidates unilaterally on several assembly seats, indicating underlying friction.

The Congress has found itself struggling to explain both the missing prominence of Rahul Gandhi and the independent candidate announcements, which have cast doubts on alliance unity.

However, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera downplayed the controversy, saying Rahul Gandhi’s absence from posters or the manifesto cover was a “non-issue” for young voters.

“Since Rahul Gandhi is not the Chief Ministerial candidate, his photo need not dominate the campaign. Poster politics does not influence Bihar’s youth,” Khera told reporters.

Alliance defends ‘friendly fights’

Both Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leaders have described the overlapping candidate announcements in certain constituencies as “friendly fights”, claiming these are based on local political dynamics.

“These decisions are taken after clear analysis of ground equations in each seat,” Tejashwi said, indicating that the strategy was intentional rather than a sign of disunity.

Despite these assurances, analysts believe that seat-sharing troubles and visible imbalance in visibility between the two key partners could affect coordination at the grassroots level during campaigning.

What it means politically

The Mahagathbandhan’s early manifesto release was intended to project unity and preparedness against the NDA. However, the visual hierarchy on the document’s cover — Tejashwi front and centre, Rahul in miniature — has once again highlighted the unequal power equation between the RJD and the Congress in Bihar politics.

While Tejashwi continues to consolidate his image as the alliance’s leader, the Congress seems to be struggling for space in both imagery and influence — a factor the BJP is quick to exploit ahead of the state polls.