Left Parties Suffer Sharp Bihar Reversal, Tally Falls to Three Seats

Left leaders urged a rethink of the opposition strategy, alleging state interference and campaign missteps.

Overview

CPI(ML)-Liberation won Paliganj and Karakat, CPI(M) retained Bibhutipur, and the CPI failed to win a seat, leaving the combined Left with three MLAs.
Election Commission data show CPI(ML)-L’s vote share at about 2.89 percent, down from 3.16 percent in 2020.
The outcome marks a steep drop from 2020, when the Left held 16 seats, including 12 for CPI(ML)-L from 19 contests.
CPI(M) leader M. A. Baby called the result unexpected, CPI(ML)-L’s Dipankar Bhattacharya termed it “unnatural,” and CPI’s D. Raja sought serious introspection over seat-sharing and “friendly fights.”
Left leaders attributed the defeat to what they alleged was misuse of state machinery, heavy money power, Special Intensive Revision changes to rolls, and a Rs 10,000 transfer to women that they say influenced voters.