It looks like the alliance with the Congress party has proved costly for the opposition Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan in the Bihar election, where the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by JD(U) retained the state. The lacklustre show by the Congress eventually brought down the RJD, too, from government formation in Bihar. The Congress lost ground not just in Bihar, but suffered massive electoral losses in other states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, losing a majority of bye-polls in key states that saw the BJP surging ahead.