Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 | Mahagathbandhan drags feet on seat-sharing even as some leaders file nominations

RJD and Congress are tussling it out over Kehalgav, Vaishali and Narkataganj and both are unwilling to let go of these seats. Sources said there is a broader agreement over giving the Mukesh Sahani-led Vikassheel Insaan Party around 17-18 seats.

New Delhi: A public announcement on seat sharing arrangement eluded the I.N.D.I.A. bloc on Wednesday too even as some alliance candidates, including top RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, filed their nominations and parties handed over symbols for seats where there is no competing claims among allies.

It is not the I.N.D.I.A. bloc alone that has faced trouble in seat sharing. The NDA has announced the seat sharing on Sunday through an X post and a press conference scheduled on Monday was cancelled, as trouble brewed in the alliance, especially over handing over 29 seats to LJP. JD(U) and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP as well as Jiten Ram Manjhi’s HAM were upset.

Congress continued its deliberations with a sub-committee appointed by the Central Election Committee (CEC) held deliberations over deciding a name on around ten seats, which could not be decided in its two previous sittings. The party has so far given its green signal for around 75 names but a final list of around 60 will be announced after final discussions with the RJD on seats.

A senior leader said the seat discussions with RJD was inconclusive and that was why it cleared more names with a caveat that the names will be declared only after reaching an agreement with the main partner in the alliance over the actual number of seats that the Congress will contest.

Bihar Congress leaders, including state party chief Rajesh Ram and legislature party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan, as well as in-charge Krishna Allavaru flew back to Patna on Wednesday afternoon and will hold another round of discussion on seats. Sources said the bone of contention is not the number but certain seats which both sides are unwilling to concede.

RJD and Congress are fighting over Kehalgav, Vaishali and Narkataganj and both are unwilling to let go of these seats. Sources said there is a broader agreement over giving the Mukesh Sahani-led Vikassheel Insaan Party around 17-18 seats.

While CPI(ML)L candidates have started filing nominations on 18 seats that have been agreed upon out of 19 offered by RJD, the Left party is expecting 3-4 more seats though they had demanded at least 30 seats. One of the arguments put forward by alliance managers is that all parties had to go off seats owing to the entry of VIP and parties like LJP (Paras) and JMM.

There has been anticipation since Monday that I.N.D.I.A. bloc would be announcing the seat deal. However, the bloc decided to go ahead with filing nominations in seats where there is an understanding.