Seat-sharing deadlock deepens: Grand Alliance faces internal rift ahead of Bihar polls

Patna, Oct 17 (IANS) As the deadline for filing nominations for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections draws to a close, the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) continues to struggle with its seat-sharing arrangement, raising serious doubts about its unity and coordination. It seems that the Grand Alliance has reached the stage of a split.

Despite repeated claims of solidarity, the alliance — comprising the RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI, CPI(M), and VIP — appears to exist only on paper, with each party prioritising its own interests.

While several parties have already announced candidates and distributed symbols for nomination, there is no clarity on the exact seat distribution, leaving workers and supporters in confusion.

According to sources, the Congress’s insistence on contesting 70 seats has become the main stumbling block.

In the 2020 Assembly elections, Congress contested the same number of seats but managed to win only 19, with a strike rate of 27 per cent, a performance widely blamed for the alliance falling short of the 122-seat majority mark needed to form the government.

This time, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is reportedly unwilling to repeat the same mistake. He wants Congress to contest fewer seats, while the Grand Old Party remains adamant about maintaining its 70-seat claim.

Key Grand Alliance leaders — including Tejashwi Yadav, Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Mukesh Sahani — held several rounds of talks with the Congress leaders in Delhi to finalise the seat-sharing formula. However, even after days of discussions, no consensus was reached.

Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahani reportedly waited until the last moment on Thursday (October 16), but the formula remained unresolved.

The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), led by Mukesh Sahani, emerged as another major challenge.

Initially demanding 60 seats and a Deputy Chief Minister post, Sahani scaled his demand down first to 30, and later to 18 seats.

On Thursday, sources said the RJD had agreed to give 15 seats to the VIP, along with assurances of two MLC berths and one Rajya Sabha seat.

The lack of agreement and coordination has dealt a major blow to the Grand Alliance’s unity narrative.

While the coalition had showcased solidarity during the Voter Adhikar Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, that spirit appears missing during the crucial seat-sharing phase.

The alliance has so far avoided holding any joint press conference to project a united front ahead of the high-stakes election.

Adding to the confusion, VIP chief Mukesh Sahani’s scheduled press conference on Thursday — initially slated for 12 noon, then rescheduled to 4 p.m., and finally cancelled — sparked intense speculation within political circles.

In several districts, VIP supporters have demanded immediate clarity from party leadership regarding seat allocation.

Political observers believe the seat-sharing stalemate could cause serious electoral damage to the Grand Alliance, which was expected to present itself as a cohesive alternative to the ruling NDA in Bihar.

The analysts said the constituent parties of the Grand Alliance — RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI, CPI(M), and VIP — are displaying overambitious seat demands, ignoring their actual strength on the ground.

“Everyone knows that the Congress has lost significant ground in Bihar. It largely depends on the RJD’s Muslim and Yadav vote bank. The Congress wants to benefit from that base, but delaying the seat-sharing agreement until the final day of nominations has sent the wrong signal among voters,” said Patna-based political analyst Sarvoday Nath.

“They have wasted five to six crucial days since the Election Commission’s notification. This delay reflects poor coordination within the alliance,” he added.

Nath further pointed out that the differences between the RJD and Congress were visible during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, when Tejashwi Yadav publicly announced Rahul Gandhi as the INDIA bloc’s Prime Ministerial candidate, but none of the Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, endorsed Tejashwi as the Chief Ministerial candidate for Bihar.

“At present, RJD, CPI-ML, CPI, CPI(M), and VIP are united in projecting Tejashwi Yadav as the Grand Alliance’s CM face. The Congress, however, appears isolated. It wouldn’t be surprising if Congress leaders refrain from participating in joint campaigns this election,” Nath observed.

While the Grand Alliance grapples with discord, the NDA, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is projecting an image of unity.

Despite minor disagreements involving Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha, the NDA quickly finalised its seat-sharing deal and launched a coordinated campaign across the state.

Political experts believe this sharp contrast could benefit the NDA during the crucial campaign phase.

Meanwhile, the Congress has released its first list of 48 candidates and is expected to release the second list soon.

The Election Commission issued the notification for the first and second phases of the Bihar Assembly elections on October 10.

The last date for filing nominations for the first phase is October 17, and for the second phase it is October 20.

The election will be held on November 6 and 11, and the result will be declared on November 14.

With the nomination window for the first phase closing soon, the Grand Alliance’s indecision has put its coordination, credibility, and campaign readiness under serious question.

--IANS

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