Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the Opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) seems to be gaining new momentum. Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) National President I.P. Gupta met with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, signalling the likely inclusion of his party into the alliance. Sources suggest that Gupta’s party may be allotted one or two seats within the alliance, potentially strengthening its social reach.
The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in two phases — on November 6 and November 11, with the results to be declared on November 14.
Why the meeting matters
The Mahagathbandhan currently comprises the RJD, Congress, CPI (ML)-Liberation, CPI, and CPM, and recently added the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to its fold. The inclusion of the IIP, which has significant influence among the Paan (betel) community, could add a new dimension to the coalition’s social base.
Earlier this year, Gupta held a massive rally at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, drawing thousands of supporters. The rally focused on the demand to grant Scheduled Caste (SC) status to the Paan community — a cause Gupta has been championing for months.
A former Congress leader, Gupta launched his own party, the Indian Inclusive Party, in April 2025 after resigning from the Congress on the day of the Gandhi Maidan rally.
Who Is IP Gupta?
Like Mukesh Sahani, who rose to prominence through caste-based mobilization, I.P. Gupta has built his political identity around community representation. A businessman by profession, Gupta is now positioning himself as a key political voice for the Paan community and those involved in the betel trade, which has a strong presence across Bihar’s rural areas.
Gupta represents the Tanti and Tatwa communities. In 2015, the Bihar government included these groups in the Scheduled Caste category. However, on July 17, 2024, the Supreme Court overturned the decision, moving them back to the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) list.
Since then, Gupta has been at the forefront of a campaign demanding the reinstatement of SC status for the Tanti-Tatwa community. His recent Gandhi Maidan rally was seen as a show of strength and a message of political assertion.
Tej Pratap Yadav hints at a big announcement
Meanwhile, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav’s elder brother, has teased a “big announcement” regarding his party’s candidates’ list, expected within two days. When asked about his own constituency, he reacted sharply, saying, “I’ve already said I’ll return to Mahua. Stop asking the same foolish question.”
Tej Pratap, currently an MLA from Hasanpur, also mentioned that discussions with various parties regarding alliances are ongoing and that details will be revealed soon.
The road ahead
With IP Gupta’s potential entry into the Mahagathbandhan, the opposition alliance appears poised to consolidate its base among backward and marginalized communities. As Bihar heads into a high-stakes electoral battle, the coming weeks are likely to witness more strategic alignments and political surprises.
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