Seat-Sharing Tensions Simmer Within INDIA Bloc Ahead of Bihar Polls:

As Bihar gears up for assembly elections next month, seat-sharing talks within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are facing turbulence, particularly between key allies—the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. The two parties are reportedly locked in a tussle over five seats: Baisi, Bahadurganj, Raniganj, Kahalgaon, and Saharsa. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, both parties had contested these seats in the last elections but failed to secure victories. The Congress had fielded candidates in Kahalgaon and Bahadurpur, while the RJD contested in Saharsa, Baisi, and Raniganj. Despite their losses, both parties are unwilling to cede ground this time. The Congress, which has already allocated two seats from its quota to its ally, the India Inclusive Party (IIP), had initially agreed to let IIP contest from Saharsa. However, the RJD has now staked a claim to this seat, complicating matters. In the previous election, BJP’s Alok Ranjan had defeated RJD’s candidate Lovely Anand by a margin of 20,000 votes in Saharsa. Kahalgaon is another flashpoint. The Congress argues that it has a historical hold on the seat and had contested from there even in the last election, despite losing to the BJP. Now, with the RJD expressing interest in contesting from Kahalgaon, Congress leaders are reportedly resisting any compromise. Seemanchal region has emerged as another area of contention. The Congress is keen to contest from Baisi and Bahadurganj, pointing to its strong performance in the Seemanchal belt during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party currently holds three parliamentary seats in the region—Kishanganj, Katihar, and Purnia—where candidates including Pappu Yadav emerged victorious. However, the RJD is asserting its influence in these constituencies as well. Although Baisi and Bahadurpur were won by the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the last assembly elections, the sitting MLAs later defected to the RJD. Congress, however, feels the public sentiment is turning against these turncoat MLAs and is pushing to reclaim the seats based on its recent parliamentary performance. Amid these frictions, AIMIM has announced that it has been sidelined by the INDIA bloc in Bihar and plans to contest nearly 100 seats on its own—five times the number it had contested last time. This move could significantly alter vote dynamics, especially in Muslim-dominated constituencies. Raniganj is another seat causing heartburn. Despite losing the seat in 2020, the RJD is reportedly unwilling to leave it for the Congress. Sources say multiple rounds of closed-door meetings are being held as leaders from both camps try to strike a middle ground. To make matters more complicated, the alliance is also struggling to present a united front on the question of chief ministerial candidate. While the RJD has consistently projected Tejashwi Yadav as its pick, recent remarks by Congress observer and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot suggested that no final decision has been made, calling it part of RJD’s individual strategy. Bihar will vote in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14. As the clock ticks down, the INDIA bloc has its work cut out in ironing out differences and presenting a cohesive front to take on the BJP-led NDA in the state.

NEWS