With the announcement of the dates for the Bihar Assembly elections, the state’s political scene has become increasingly active. While the ruling NDA is finalising its strategy, sources indicate that the Opposition
Mahagathbandhan has likely finalised its seat-sharing formula.
After talks between Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, all Mahagathbandhan parties may have reached a seat-sharing agreement, with only the official announcement pending, sources told News18 Hindi. Sources also said that sitting MLAs within the Mahagathbandhan have been instructed to start campaigning in their respective constituencies.
Sources cited by News18 Hindi said the RJD may have received the largest share of seats in the alliance, with Tejashwi Yadav’s party set to contest 130 assembly constituencies. The Congress (INC) is likely to field candidates on 50 seats, while the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) may contest 20, they added.
The Left parties — CPI, CPI(ML), and CPI(M) — are expected to get a total of 35 seats, the Paras faction of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP-RV) two seats, and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) six seats, sources said.
Political commentators suggest that this seat-sharing formula may reinforce Tejashwi Yadav as the face of the Mahagathbandhan. As the largest party, the RJD may contest the most seats and retain its claim to the Chief Minister’s post, News18 Hindi reported citing sources. Party strategists believe Tejashwi Yadav may once again be the driving force behind the alliance, just as he was in the previous election.
According to sources quoted by News18 Hindi, some Congress leaders had initially demanded over 70 seats. However, after a meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, both sides may have agreed on 50 seats. Congress had reportedly argued that since it won around 19 seats in the last election with a nearly 9% vote share, it deserved a larger allocation. But to preserve unity within the Mahagathbandhan, the party may have decided to settle for a compromise, sources said.
The Left parties are expected to play a key role in the Mahagathbandhan this time, with the CPI(ML)’s strong performance in the last election having helped the RJD and Congress in several constituencies, sources told News18 Hindi. This time, the CPI(ML) is expected to contest around 20 seats, the CPI 8, and the CPI(M) 7. The Left is expected to field strong candidates in the Seemanchal, Magadh, and Tirhut regions, sources said.
Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), previously part of the NDA, will contest fully with the Mahagathbandhan this time. The party may be allocated 20 seats, mostly in areas with a strong Nishad vote bank, sources told News18 Hindi.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) may contest six seats in Seemanchal and along the Jharkhand border, while Pashupati Kumar Paras’s faction of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP-RV) may be allocated two seats, sources said.
According to sources cited by News18 Hindi, the Mahagathbandhan plans to contest this election on the theme of “jobs versus claims.” The RJD’s manifesto will highlight its promise of 1 million jobs, while the Congress will focus on unemployment, women’s safety, and education, sources said, adding that the Left parties are expected to emphasise issues concerning workers and farmers.
A formal announcement is expected in a few days, sources told News18 Hindi. The full seat list will likely be released at a joint press conference in Patna with Tejashwi Yadav and the state Congress in-charge, after which the names of the candidates will also be finalised, sources said.
The RJD has already stated that it will distribute tickets keeping in mind its A-Z equation. It has been reported that this time the RJD will give more opportunities to upper caste candidates than last time. According to sources cited by News18 Hindi, Tejashwi Yadav will only give opportunities to winning candidates based on feedback.
