With the first phase of the Assembly poll in Bihar less than a month away on October 28 , a seat-sharing deal is said to have been finalised in the opposition mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) on Friday. Leaders of alliance partners are likely to officially announce the formula this weekend.
Also read | Battle for Bihar: The Hindu editorial on 2020 Bihar Assembly polls
However, confusion continued in the NDA, despite several rounds of meetings between party leaders, both in Patna and Delhi.
A day after the RJD and Congress — two major alliance partners of the mahagathbandhan — attacked each other over seat sharing, leaders of both the parties, Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi respectively, are said to have had a telephonic discussion on Friday to reach an agreement.
If RJD sources are to be believed, the party is to contest around 134-136 seats leaving 65-68 for Congress and 17-19 for Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), five each for two other Left parties — CPI and CPM — 10-12 seats for the Vikasheel Insaan Party and two for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Also read: Left to contest Bihar poll under Mahagathbandhan
“Yes, we’ve almost done our seat-sharing among alliance partners and top party leaders are likely to announce it on Saturday or Sunday,” a senior RJD leader told The Hindu. He added that the “seat finalisation was done after Tejashwi Yadav spoke to Rahul Gandhi.”
Leaders spar
Earlier on Thursday, RJD and Congress leaders had exchanged words, blaming each other for trying to “rock the boat”.
Lashing out at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, heir apparent of party chief Lalu Prasad, Bihar Congress in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil called him “inexperienced” while RJD leader and party spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari hit back saying, “he (Mr Gohil) was trying to rock the boat with his uncalled for comments”.
“The RJD will contest on double the number of seats than Congress parry and all our alliance partners too have been suitably accommodated...now only announcement of the number of seats is to be done,” a senior RJD leader said. The Bihar Assembly has 243 members.
Earlier the two Left parties, CPI and CPI(M), had declared that they would contest the poll along with mahagathbandhan but the CPI(ML) had indicated that it was unhappy with the number of seats allotted.
However, on Friday, the CPI(ML) also is said to have agreed to the deal to contest between 17-19 seats.
Meetings continue
Leaders of NDA partners — JD(U), BJP and LJP — continued to hold separate meetings to reach a consensus.
“Let the time come, you all will come to know about it,” said newly appointed State JD(U) working president Ashok Choudhury after an meeting with party chief Nitish Kumar.
The BJP’s Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and poll in-charge Devendra Fadnavis, too, met with State party leaders in Patna.
LJP options
Meanwhile, the LJP called a crucial meeting of its parliamentary board on Saturday evening in Delhi to take a final decision on both seat sharing and continued presence in the NDA.
Also read: Bihar Assembly election | LJP almost certain to go it alone
Ties between the LJP and JD(U) have of late soured over several issues. The LJP had declared that it would contest 143 seats against JD(U) candidates. The BJP is said to be working behind the scenes to keep the LJP on board.
The three-phase poll is scheduled to take place on October 28, November 3 and 7 and results will be declared on November 10.
