With the dates for voting in Bihar approach, the INDIA bloc seems to be descending further into chaos over the seat-sharing in the coalition group as the Congress released a list of 48 candidates late on Thursday just hours before Friday’s deadline for filing nominations in the first phase covering 121 constituencies on November 6.
In a fresh reveal of the fissures within the grand anti-BJP front, Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Saturday announced to contest the Bihar assembly polls independently, and said the party would “review” its alliance with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand after the elections in the neighbouring state.
Also read: Bihar seat-sharing talks: INDIA bloc in disarray as Congress releases list without RJD
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used the opportunity to take a dig at the grand alliance as its IT Cell chief Amit Malviya blamed RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi for the chaos within the coalition group. “Rahul and Tejashwi’s arrogance is the real reason behind the breakup of the Mahagathbandhan,” Malviya wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“Bihar has been saved,” he snarked.
Chaos over seat-sharing
The grand alliance appears to be in a disarray over seat allocation just before the high-stake polls.
Earlier, Hindustan Times reported that the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), led by Mukesh Sahni, was allocated 15 seats after demanding 25-30. The shortfall has sparked frustration, with Sahni accusing larger allies of “feudal bargaining”.
Reports suggested that the AICC stepped in for talks over seat-sharing as the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) functionaries repeatedly failed to seal a deal.
Also read: Setback for NDA in Bihar as LJP (RV) candidate’s nomination rejected: Report
“The AICC stepped in because our state unit couldn’t navigate the RJD’s intransigence,” a senior party source told Hindustan Times earlier. Senior Bihar Congress leaders had hoped of contesting from at least 61 seats – a tally that includes the 70 they fought in 2020 and secured 19 seats, denting the NDA’s dominance in several pockets.
The absence of nominees for Maharajganj, Jale and Narkatiaganj suggests unresolved disputes with RJD, which insists on claiming these alongside Kahalgaon; Congress leader Vijay Shankar Dubey had won the Maharajganj seat in 2020. Tensions have also alienated smaller allies like the Left parties, who are frustrated over unmet demands for 15-20 seats.
JMM breaks away from INDIA
JMM on Saturday announced to field candidates on six seats in Bihar assembly elections.
“The party has decided to contest the Bihar polls on its own. It will contest six assembly seats – Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui and Pirpainti (SC),” JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said.
Also read: Congress names five candidates in second Bihar assembly election list
These seats will go to polls in the second phase on November 11.
The JMM had on October 11 communicated to INDIA bloc leaders that the party would take its own decision on contesting the Bihar polls, if “a respectful number of seats” was not allocated to it by October 14. The JMM had demanded 12 seats for the polls as an ally of the coalition.
Elections to 243 seats of the Bihar assembly will be held on November 6 and November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14.
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