PATNA: With just five days remaining for the close of nominations for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections, the opposition INDIA bloc is still struggling to finalize a seat-sharing agreement. RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav traveled to New Delhi on Sunday regarding a court case connected to alleged irregularities in the awarding of IRCTC contracts during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Railway Minister. They, along with former CM Rabri Devi and others, are scheduled to appear in court on Monday, at which time a decision on framing charges is expected.
This court appearance coincides with ongoing negotiations among the INDIA bloc allies, which include Congress, the Left parties, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). Tejashwi stated that their trip to the capital was solely prompted by the court summons. However, Lalu asserted that discussions on seat-sharing are still active.
Sources indicate that the negotiations have stalled because Congress is unwilling to accept fewer than 60 seats, while the RJD is equally hesitant to concede. In the 2020 assembly elections, Congress contested 70 seats but secured only 19, resulting in a strike rate of 27.14%, which has made RJD reluctant to allocate many seats. Following the successful crowds observed during last month’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, Congress has reportedly become more adamant regarding its demands.
“A deal has almost been finalized and will be announced soon since none of us want to hinder the momentum generated by the yatra. However, an announcement will occur only after Monday,” a senior RJD official noted. Former Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh commented, “The seat allocation is nearly complete, but issues often arise at the last minute for all parties. These challenges also affect the NDA, and we expect everything to be settled within one or two days.”
The VIP presents another complicating factor for the RJD as it seeks a significant number of seats and is advocating for its chief, Mukesh Sahani, to be named as the candidate for deputy chief minister. While RJD is willing to offer around 15 to 18 seats to the VIP, it does not seem prepared to guarantee Sahani’s place in the deputy CM position. Sahani recently emphasized his intention to establish a government in Bihar that ensures “justice and dignity” for all communities, without specifically referring to the Mahagathbandhan or the INDIA bloc.
In a notable development, Tejashwi Yadav met on Saturday evening with I P Gupta, president of the All India Pan Mahasangh, a group that commands a significant vote share in Bihar. Analysts suggest that this move could be a strategic effort to counter Sahani’s assertive approach.
The delay in reaching a seat-sharing agreement is causing growing frustration among alliance partners, particularly with the nomination deadline approaching for the first phase of elections scheduled for November 6. The final date for submitting nomination papers is October 17.
