Bihar assembly polls: Hectic parleys continue as NDA, Opposition bloc ready candidate lists

PATNA : With simply quaternity years remaining for filing nominations for the first-phase polling in Bihar, the oppositeness grand confederation, headed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), continued to grapple with a deepening impasse over seat distribution, even as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised a seat-sharing formula. Neither grouping has announced its candidates so far.At the heart of the deadlock in the grand alliance negotiations is the RJD’s firm stance against allocating more than 55 seats to its key partner, the Congress, which is pushing for at least 60 in the 243-member assembly, functionaries in the Opposition bloc indicated, adding the Congress has already screened over 90 constituencies, shortlisting candidates and awaiting a breakthrough to announce its line-up. “The list will come out after finalisation of the seat sharing... Our effort is to ensure a good government for the people of the people of Bihar,” AICC in-charge for Bihar, Krishna Allavaru, told reporters on Monday. “The alliance should not suffer a loss and Bihar should benefit.”Also read: Parties aim to woo workers returning home for ChhathThe deadline for filing of nominations for the November 6 first-phase polling in Bihar for 121 seats is October 17. The second phase of polling on 122 seats — which the Election Commission (EC) notified on Monday —will be held on November 11 and the results will be declared on November 14.With the deadline for nominations fast approaching, the grand alliance — comprising the RJD, Congress, Left parties, Mukesh Sahani-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), among others — has intensified its negotiations, with top leaders of the alliance holding hectic parlays to bridge the gaps.Also read: Court frames charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi weeks before Bihar electionOn Monday evening, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav held closed-door talks with Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Allavaru, a functionary said. Earlier, Tejashwi held preliminary consultations with Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram and party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan.In Patna, ticket aspirants continued to queue up outside the residence of RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi. Lalu gave away party symbols to a few candidates, even as a formal announcement of seat sharing was yet to be made.The Left parties—including the CPI(ML) Liberation—began issuing party symbols to candidates on a handful of constituencies.A section of the grand alliance leaders believes a formula could be sealed in a day or two. “We have full faith in our leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav. We request that they finalise and announce the seat-sharing arrangement as soon as possible,” said Congress MP Manoj Kumar.On the other hand, the NDA has already unveiled its seat-sharing formula, with both the BJP and the JD(U) agreeing to contest 101 seats each, while allotting 29 seats to Union minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and six seats each to smaller partners Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) of Upendra Kushwaha.State BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal said that all five NDA partners were likely to declare their candidates by Tuesday and filing of nominations will be completed for both phases this week itself.