In a significant move, the Congress has officially entered into seat-sharing discussions with its allies in Bihar, namely the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The primary objective is to establish a “reasonable and respectable” arrangement collectively to confront the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Congress’s five-member National Alliance Committee (NAC), led by senior leader Mukul Wasnik, initiated these talks with authorized leaders of JD(U) and RJD in New Delhi. This development follows several rounds of internal deliberations within the party, as stated by leaders of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC).
Armed with statistics from past elections, considerations of party workers’ aspirations, and a comprehensive analysis of winnability factors for each seat, the NAC is approaching the seat-sharing exercise with a readiness to compromise without sacrificing essential aspects. A senior AICC leader emphasized, “We are ready to compromise but not willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of keeping INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc intact.”
The initial round of talks was reportedly positive, and the party is optimistic about reaching an agreeable solution in discussions with JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha and RJD leader Manoj Jha.
Leaders within the grand alliance in Bihar had hinted earlier that, out of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats, 17 each are likely to be allotted to JD(U) and RJD, while the Congress may secure five seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation might be allocated one seat for the general elections.
The Congress aims to finalize seat-sharing arrangements with other opposition parties in the INDIA bloc nationwide by the end of the month. Despite acknowledging the challenges, particularly in reducing the number of contested seats from the previous elections, the Congress is determined not to disappoint party workers and is striving to counter the BJP on a broader scale.
The opposition alliance’s focus is on halting the BJP’s dominance in Bihar, where the NDA secured 39 out of 40 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This included a clean sweep by the BJP, winning all 17 contested seats, and six seats by the unified Lok Janshakti Party, which has since split into two factions.
With discussions reflecting a “positive mood,” the Congress is expected to pursue an “honorable deal” in the seat-sharing exercise, aiming for no less than six or seven seats. This reasonable demand aligns with the party’s commitment to ensuring diverse representation across various sections of society.
As the seat-sharing talks progress, political dynamics in Bihar are gearing up for an intriguing battle, with opposition forces uniting to challenge the BJP’s supremacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
