Just three days are left before the deadline to file nominations for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Election expires on October 17 (Friday), but the opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, which includes the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, is yet to agree on seat-sharing for the polls.
Discussions within the opposition alliance continued on Monday, and while it was earlier reported that an agreement on seat-sharing could be reached by evening, no such thing happened. It is now expected that talks will intensify to end the stalemate today.
On the other hand, the ruling NDA, which includes the BJP and the JD(U), has already announced its seat-sharing among the allies, and the parties are now getting ready to release their list of candidates.
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party has already declared two lists of its candidates for the upcoming elections that will be held over two phases on November 6 and 11. Who will rule Bihar next will become clear on November 14, when the votes will be counted.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Mahagathbandhan allies are working to agree on a mutually acceptable formula for seat distribution. Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Mukesh Sahani’s Vikasheel Insaan Party, and Left parties are members of the opposition alliance in Bihar.
AICC in-charge for Bihar, Krishna Allavaru, stated yesterday that the party will release its candidates’ list after the finalisation of seat-sharing.
“List will come out after finalisation of the seat-sharing… Our effort is to ensure a good government for the people of Bihar. So, the alliance should not suffer a loss, and Bihar should benefit,” Allavaru told a news agency.
The NDA announced its seat-sharing arrangement on Sunday, with the BJP and the JD(U) set to contest 101 seats for the 243-member Bihar Assembly. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will field candidates on six seats each.