With nominations for Bihar’s first-phase polling closing in just three days, the opposition ‘Grand Alliance’ is still trying to finalize its seat-sharing arrangements. The Congress party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) has recently approved candidates for 18-20 seats, following an earlier list of 25 names. However, uncertainty surrounding the exact number of seats the Congress will contest within the ‘Mahagathbandhan,’ and which specific seats those will be, has created confusion during candidate finalization.
A senior CEC member, preferring anonymity, noted that queries about seat allocations were raised during meetings, but clarity remains elusive. The party’s Bihar leadership, however, expressed optimism about reaching a seat-sharing agreement with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) soon. The deadline for nominations for the first phase, scheduled for November 6, is October 17.
To expedite the process, a four-member panel, led by AICC treasurer Ajay Maken and including Bihar in-charge Krishna Alavaru, state unit chief Rajesh Kumar, and legislative party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan, has been formed. According to a second leader, this smaller panel aims to make quicker decisions on candidate recommendations compared to convening the full CEC.
Sources indicate that the Congress aims to contest approximately 60 seats. In related developments, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is expected to file his nomination from the Rahopur seat on Wednesday. RJD chief Lalu Prasad had initially distributed party symbols to several ticket aspirants, but some reports suggest these were later recalled due to ongoing seat disputes with the Congress and other allies. An RJD leader confirmed that tickets for seats where candidates contested in 2020 are settled, and nominations for the first phase will be completed within two days.
Meanwhile, CPI-ML (Liberation) candidates have begun filing nominations in constituencies like Darauli, Siwan, Ara, and Paliganj, even before a final seat announcement. General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya stated that 18 out of the 19 seats contested in 2020 have received clearance from all allies, though negotiations for a few more seats are ongoing. He mentioned the party’s desire for additional seats in districts beyond those contested in 2020.
Disputes reportedly exist over specific seats, such as Aurai, which CPI-ML contested in 2020 but is yet to be cleared by the RJD. Other seats in demand by the party include Gaighat, Barachatti, Rajgir, Hayaghat, Benipatti, and Pipra (Supaul).