Gehlot plays down seat-sharing tension after meeting Lalu, Tejashwi

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday held a long, closed-door meeting with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav here to ease tensions that have arisen between the alliance partners ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

The meeting was aimed to resolve the friction caused by seat-sharing disputes and instances of alliance partners fielding candidates against each other in certain constituencies as these developments have raised questions about the unity of the INDIA alliance.

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Later, Gehlot, accompanied by Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru, also met RJD leaders Tejashwi Yadav, Sanjay Yadav, and Mangnilal Mandal.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the former Rajasthan chief minister claimed that everything was fine within the alliance. “Everything is going very well. Any confusion that remains will be completely cleared up in a day or two,” he said.

He emphasised that in an alliance of this scale, disputes over 5–10 seats were not significant and should be viewed as “friendly fights,” often triggered by local dynamics and the enthusiasm of grassroots workers.

In a post on X, he wrote, “The meeting with Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav was very positive. The INDIA alliance in Bihar is fully united and contesting the election with strength. The full picture will be clear in tomorrow’s (Thursday) press conference of the alliance.”

Gehlot also accused the BJP of running a sponsored campaign in Bihar aimed at creating division within the INDIA bloc and vitiating the political atmosphere. He claimed that an impression was being created as if the alliance was breaking apart.

Addressing the issue of alliance partners fielding candidates against Congress nominees, he said, “In 5–7 of the 243 constituencies, due to local leaders and political equations, situations resembling a ‘friendly fight’ sometimes arise. This is a very small number, but the media has launched a campaign against the alliance over it. In reality, there is no problem at all.”

He added, “Bihar now wants change, and the people of Bihar understand that a victory for the INDIA alliance is in the interest of both the state and the country.”

Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru also clarified the party’s position on the state’s electoral strategy. “There is a contest for 243 seats in Bihar, and this fight is directly against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA),” he said.