Pressure mounts on Congress to cede space for allies with Grand Alliance in Bihar

Congress and RJD were unable to arrive at a consensus during a meeting of their parties’ top brass on Tuesday over seat-sharing for the 243-member Bihar Assembly polls slated to be held later this year.

According to sources, the grand-old-party may have to cede more seats from its kitty to the allies in Mahagathbandan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar owing to its dismal performance in the last Assembly elections.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav huddled for nearly one hour with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to finalise a seat-sharing formula here on Tuesday.

In the last polls in Bihar, Congress had contested 70 seats, out of which the party was able to win only 19.

The consensus on seat-sharing between Congress and RJD hasn’t been reached yet. However, sources said there are clear indications that with Left parties and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) with Grand Alliance in Bihar, and recent addition of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) after it parted ways with the NDA, the Congress’ seat share in the alliance is likely to go down.

“Congress may want 70 or more seats. But then you have to understand about chances of winning. Instead of focusing on numbers, deliberations are underway to make Congress contest those seats where its chances are more. It has to be strike rate rather than numbers which will ultimately make NDA perish in the state,” said a source.

Another source said the talks about Mukesh Sahani-led VIP party and Pashupati Paras-led RLJP party emerged in the meeting and there were also deliberations that Congress “may have to cede more space for its allies” in Grand Alliance in Bihar.

The VIP party in Bihar has a strong support base in the OBC community as it represents the extremely backward community of Nishads — a collective identity for more than 20 sub-castes, including Mallahs, whose livelihood was traditionally linked to the river. The population of Mallahs in Bihar is about seven per cent. Paras-led RLJP, who recently quit BJP-led NDA, also banks on the legacy of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founder Ram Vilas Paswan.

Meanwhile, after the meeting, Tejashwi said another round of discussions would take place between the two parties in Patna on April 17. “Congress and RJD will sit in Patna to make the strategy. We are committed to taking Bihar on the path of progress,” Tejashwi said.

“The government has been in place for 20 years in Bihar, with PM Modi at the helm for 11 years. Despite all this, Bihar remains the most economically backward state, with the lowest per capita income, lowest farmers' income, and the highest migration,” he added.

Tejashwi didn’t give clarity about the CM’s face in Bihar and said, “I don't know why you all are worried about the CM — we will decide. What’s certain is that there won’t be an NDA government in Bihar.”

“We all want to fight the election on issues. We are in the opposition — it is our responsibility to highlight the shortcomings of the government to the public,” he added.

The RJD continues to project Tejashwi as the Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face.

In a social media post on X, Kharge said, "This time, change is certain in Bihar. Today we met the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, and discussed the strengthening of the Grand Alliance. In the coming elections, we will give the people of Bihar a strong, positive, just and welfare-oriented option. Bihar will be freed from BJP and its opportunistic alliance."

"Youth, farmers, labourers, women, backward, extremely backward and people of all other sections of the society want the Grand Alliance government," he added.