Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 | I.N.D.I.A bloc likely to wrap up seat-sharing negotiations by October 15

New Delhi: The seat sharing negotiations in the I.N.D.I.A bloc for the Bihar Assembly elections are nearing completion with RJD top leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, who have reached here for a court hearing, likely to meet Congress top brass Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Monday.

Vikasheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani is also learnt to be meeting Rahul on Monday, sources said. Before leaving for Delhi, Sahani said in Patna that it is true that there is some trouble in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and he is leaving for the capital city as “all doctors who can cure it” are there.

The I.N.D.I.A. bloc is expected to wrap up the negotiations by October 15, two days before the last date for filing of nominations for the first phase of Assembly elections on November 6. This week is also likely to see the multi-party Opposition alliance unveiling a joint manifesto after releasing Extremely Backward Classes-specific and women-specific promises.

Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi and Tejashwi flew to Delhi along with senior Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Sunday, as they are scheduled to appear before a court here, which will take up framing of charges in a CBI case in which Lalu is accused of taking bribes in the form of land for providing Railway jobs during UPA period.

Tejashwi said on 'X' that the hearing of this case has been pending for months and it now comes just before elections. "There will be a trial for 2-3 days in the 'godi' (pliant) media. The people of the country are now well aware of the misdeeds of BJP and their puppets. BJP can no longer hide its corruption. No matter what you do, change in Bihar is certain," he said.

Sources said Tejashwi is likely to meet Kharge and Rahul on Monday to find a way to remove irritants, including Congress' reluctance in announcing the former as Chief Ministerial face and the stalemate over number of seats that it contests. RJD is offering 52-55 seats for the Congress, which is insisting that it will contest at least 60 seats.

Congress' view is that they should wait for declaring Tejashwi as CM face as they should be mindful of an adverse court order. RJD, on its part, wants to put a seal on the issue and put pressure on Congress by not giving the green signal on the final number of seats.

"Congress president Kharge has been speaking to all the coalition partners in Bihar, and the final discussion is on for deciding candidates in a few seats where the Congress and some other parties feel they are strong. He is talking to all leaders for the last two days in Bihar," Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said.

Ramesh attributed the delay in announcement to the entry of new parties in the alliance. "In the next two-three days, we expect all the seats to be finalised and declared," he said.

While IP Gupta's India Inclusive Party, a new entry into the alliance, is expected to fight two seats, sources said Mukesh Sahani-led VIP has made the negotiations difficult with a demand for at least 30 seats and Deputy Chief Ministership for him. RJD is willing to give only 12-15 seats while other parties are reluctant to endorse Sahani for the Deputy Chief Minister post.

Three Left parties -- CPI(ML)L, CPI and CPI(M) -- have been cumulatively offered 35 seats. CPI(ML)L is demanding 27-28 seats but may settle for 25 while CPI wants eight seats.