Patna: In a fresh development ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Indian Inclusive Party (IIP), led by IP Gupta, has formally joined the opposition Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan). Gupta, who represents the Paan Samaj (Tanti–Tatva community), announced that his party has been allotted three seats and will contest from the Saharsa Assembly constituency on its “Karni” symbol.
In a video message posted late on Thursday, Gupta said, “We have become a clan of the Grand Alliance, not just family members.” He further claimed that some of his party’s candidates would also contest on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress symbols across three to four constituencies. However, neither RJD nor Congress has yet confirmed these claims.
हम इंडिया गठबंधन के हिस्सा बने ! हम गोतिया बनने में सफल हुए। pic.twitter.com/QK3sWLnbX0
— Er. I P Gupta Pan (@ErIPGupta1) October 16, 2025
Gupta’s inclusion follows weeks of speculation after his meetings with senior alliance figures, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. With this move, the IIP becomes the seventh constituent of the Mahagathbandhan, which already includes the RJD, Congress, CPI, CPI(ML), CPM, and VIP. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) participation remains uncertain.
The RJD has reportedly allocated the Saharsa seat from its quota to Gupta’s party. In the 2020 Assembly election, the seat was contested by Lovely Anand of the RJD but won by the BJP’s Alok Ranjan Jha, who is expected to contest again this time.
Gupta, a former Congress leader, had parted ways to form his own outfit. Earlier this year, he organised the “Paan Samaj Adhikar Rally” at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, demonstrating his political influence among the Tanti–Tatva community. He also heads the All India Paan Mahasangh.
According to Bihar’s caste survey, the Tanti–Tatva community makes up roughly 2% of the state’s population, with a notable presence in Saharsa, Supaul, Darbhanga, and Madhepura districts.
