Bihar poll: Amid seat-sharing talks, Congress clears first list of 25 candidates

Amid seat-sharing talks with Mahagathbandhan allies in Bihar, the Congress top leadership on Wednesday discussed party candidates for the upcoming assembly elections and is learnt to have finalised names of 25 candidates.

Fourteen of them are sitting MLAs, party sources said, even as the Mahagathbandhan continues to grapple with seat-sharing arrangement.

Sources also hinted that CLP leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan and state Congress chief Rajesh Ram feature among the names cleared in the first list, as the grand old party braces for a fierce electoral contest in Bihar scheduled to be held in November in two phases.

The Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended virtually by Sonia Gandhi and LoP Rahul Gandhi, marked the Congress’ first major step in Bihar’s pre-poll battle. Senior leaders Salman Khurshid, Mohammad Javed, KC Venugopal and Screening Committee members Ajay Maken, Imran Pratapgarhi and Praniti Shinde joined the deliberations, alongside Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, state chief Rajesh Ram and CLP leaders Shakil Ahmed Khan and Madan Mohan Jha.

Sources said discussions were held on multiple constituencies and 25 names were cleared in the first round. “Fourteen sitting MLAs out of 17 have been approved while two are under reconsideration,” a senior functionary told The Tribune, adding that the names will be announced once the final seat-sharing pact with allies is sealed.

The Bihar Congress chief also confirmed that the shortlisted seats have been communicated to alliance partners. “These are largely our traditional strongholds,” he said, indicating that further CEC meetings will soon be convened to finalise the remaining candidates.

Sources say the Congress is likely to contest around 54 seats, accommodating some of the new allies from its own share to keep the coalition intact. However, negotiations within the bloc remain tense. The Left parties have demanded as many as 35 seats, while Mukesh Sahni’s Vikasheel Insan Party has reportedly sought around 20 seats.