Seat Talks Intensify as Bihar Polls Kick Off; NDA Nears Pact, INDIA Bloc Still in Huddle
NEW DELHI: On the day the notification for filing nominations for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections was issued on Friday, hectic negotiations were underway within both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan alliances for the final round of seat-sharing arrangements.
In the NDA camp, after a series of meetings among alliance partners on Friday, BJP insiders indicated that a broad consensus had been reached and that the final list of NDA candidates would be announced within the next two or three days.
The breakthrough reportedly came after a marathon meeting at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, attended by senior leaders including Bihar BJP in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, co-in-charge Vinod Tawde, JD(U) leaders Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh, and other state leaders. The meeting focused on working out a seat-sharing pact and accommodating partners seeking a larger share.
According to sources, Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas), Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM, and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP have more or less agreed to the formula offered to them. Details of the seats allocated to each party under the NDA fold are expected to be announced at a joint press conference in Patna.
The LJP (RV), which had been adamant about contesting no fewer than 40 seats, reportedly softened its stand after a separate discussion between Chirag Paswan and Union Minister Nityanand Rai on Thursday. Though the exact number of seats allotted has not been revealed, sources confirmed that the party agreed to a lower figure.
Meanwhile, the BJP has finalised the process of selecting its candidates at the state level. Panels of three potential candidates have been prepared for each constituency, and the names will now be discussed in New Delhi at the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, sources added.
They also hinted that the BJP’s Bihar core group is likely to meet in Delhi on October 11, followed by the CEC meeting on October 12. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J.P. Nadda, and other senior leaders are expected to attend these crucial deliberations.
In the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc, discussions between the RJD and the Congress are still continuing, with both parties staking claim to a few key constituencies — Baisi (Purnea), Bahadurganj (Kishanganj), Raniganj (Araria), Kahalgaon (Bhagalpur), and Saharsa.
In the 2020 Assembly elections, the RJD contested Raniganj, Saharsa, and Baisi, while Kahalgaon and Bahadurganj were allotted to the Congress. Neither party managed to win these seats. Strategists within the Mahagathbandhan indicated that this dispute would likely be resolved by Monday.
Another constituent, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has expressed interest in contesting at least 12 Assembly seats in Bihar as part of the INDIA bloc, a party leader said on Friday. The final decision on the number of seats will be taken after discussions with alliance partners. “Our party president and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will take the final call on the seats JMM will contest in Bihar,” the leader said.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) is reportedly insisting on 20 seats. However, RJD leaders are confident he will eventually settle for fewer. Sources hinted that the RJD is also considering offering Sahni the post of Deputy Chief Minister if he agrees to a reduced seat share.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, another major constituent of the INDIA bloc, is likely to settle for 25 seats against its initial demand for 40, sources said.
As both alliances race to finalise their seat-sharing formulas, the stage is set for the first phase of Bihar’s Assembly polls, with nominations already open and campaigning expected to pick up momentum in the coming week.
