Before the Bihar election 2025, the NDA and the Grand Alliance are faster over seat-sharing. The Congress is preparing for 76 seats and is also refusing to consider Tejashwi as CM face. Other parties of the Grand Alliance are also demanding more seats.
Patna: Prior to Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, the tussle of seat sharing in both NDA and Grand Alliance camps has intensified. While the NDA has not yet reached any conclusion regarding seats, the internal conflict in the Grand Alliance has started to be visible. The biggest movement is from the Congress, which has started preparing 76 seats at its level. Out of these, candidates can be announced soon on 38 seats.
Congress’s political bets
If sources are to be believed, the Bihar Congress does not want to sit waiting for the RJD in the seat sharing. The party has made it clear that it will prepare on the strength of its organization and workers. Congress leaders argue that in 2020 the party contested 70 seats and won 19 seats. The seats on which the Congress lost by less than 5,000 votes also want it in its account this time. Overall, the party is also claiming about 70 seats this time.
New tussle over Tejashwi
The biggest controversy within the Grand Alliance is also about the face of the Chief Minister’s post. The Congress has made it clear that it will not declare Tejashwi Yadav as CM Face at the moment. The party says that the public has the right to the decision. There are reports of resentment in the RJD camp due to this attitude. RJD already considers its claim on more than 90 seats strong and considers itself a natural leader of the Grand Alliance.
Tension of left and other colleagues
This time the equations in the Grand Alliance have become even more complicated. CPI-ML contested 19 seats in 2020 and won 12 seats. This time she is insisting on increasing its stake. CPI and CPM also want balance in seats. VIP chief Mukesh Sahni, JMM and RLJP (Pashupati Paras faction) are also busy showing their presence. Overall, not only Congress and RJD, but small parties are also showing their strength in the Grand Alliance.
NDA also entangled, opportunity to opposition
On the other hand, there is also suspense on seat sharing in NDA. A final decision is yet to be taken between JDU, BJP, Ham (HAM) and LJP (Pashupati faction). This tussle gives a big issue to the opposition as soon as the election gets closer. The Grand Alliance leaders allege that the NDA’s internal battle proves that they are more concerned about the public issues.
Congress’s ‘signal politics’
The Congress step that it will not wait for the RJD’s green signal, in a way there is also a signal politics. The party wants to show that it wants a share of equal not only in the role of “followers” in the Grand Alliance. Experts believe that the Congress is pressurizing the RJD to give it a “better and balance” stake in seat sharing.
What next?
Today, an important meeting of the Congress is to be held in Delhi, which will include many veteran leaders of Bihar Congress. The situation may be more clear after the meeting. However, it is also clear that by getting closer, the battle sharing battle in the Grand Alliance will be more sharp.