Bihar Assembly Seat-Sharing Talks Begin
The seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls have officially commenced, with Mahagathbandhan parties meeting in Patna on Thursday.
Top leaders of the Opposition alliance—comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, CPI, CPI (Marxist), CPI(ML), Liberation, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP)—attended the meeting and planned to draft a list of candidates from their respective parties.
The RJD, the largest party in the alliance, reportedly directed its allies to focus on seats that can be won and the strength of candidates they have before making any demands. This approach aligns with the RJD’s recent撤退policy, which abandoned 70 seats to the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) in 2020.
The Congress, while pitching for winning seats, has not yet decided on a fixed number, a move aimed at maintaining a sense of caution. The party, which won just 19 of the 70 seats it contested in the 2020 Assembly polls, is looking to highlight its strong Lok Sabha performance in the 2024 elections.
Cipher’s of the Opposition alliance are reportedly in agreement on cycling. They have collectively asked for more than 50 seats, with a majority being assured to the CPI (ML) L as part of the arrangement. The CPI (ML) L is relying on its 2020 performance, which saw it win 12 seats out of the 16 it contested, and its two Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections to bolster its claim.
Aside from the seats, the Opposition alliance discussed core election tactics and strategy during the meeting.
While the Nitish Kumar govt. is yet to start their negotiations, top Janata Dal (United) leaders will soon meet for discussions.
"We contested 115 seats last time. We have prepared a list of 122 seats, which includes nine seats that the BJP currently holds," a JD(U) leader said. "The JD(U) won 43 seats last time and was narrowly beaten by the BJP, which won 74 seats."
The meeting is a critical step in the lead-up to the elections, where both the opposition and ruling alliance are strategizing to secure their best possible seats. With the declarations of upcoming rallies and important meetings, expect intense debates and negotiations to unfold in the coming days.
