The political climate surrounding the Bihar assembly elections is heating up. Amidst the ongoing sparring between political parties, the issue of seat distribution has become a contentious point. The Mahagathbandhan, or Grand Alliance, is facing difficulties in reaching a mutual agreement. The RJD, led by Tejashwi Yadav, is reportedly planning to offer fewer seats to the Congress than it did in the previous assembly elections, a decision that has been firmly communicated.
Sources reveal that the RJD has directly informed the Congress that it disapproves of any seat swaps based on the classification of ‘winnable’ versus ‘losable’ seats. The RJD’s calculations are complicated by the inclusion of Mukesh Sahani, Pashupati Paras, and Hemant Soren, who also need to be accommodated with seat allocations, which could put the Congress at a disadvantage.
Further reports suggest the RJD is contemplating increasing the number of seats for the Left parties, which have demonstrated a higher success rate. Consequently, both the RJD and the Congress are likely to contest on a reduced number of seats compared to the previous election. The RJD has conveyed to the Congress that its allocation will be cut, and it will need to select its seats from what remains, given the Congress’s demand for 70 seats.