Bihar Opposition allies resume seat-sharing talks, plan outreach to more districts

After the camaraderie among Bihar's Opposition seen during the ' Voter Adhikar Yatra', the allies have pressing delicate tasks at hand - finalising the seat-sharing formula and sustaining the yatra momentum and taking its message to those districts in the state which were not on the yatra route.

Some Opposition leaders said they have already renewed seat-sharing discussions, given that the ruling BJP-JDU alliance is reportedly on the verge of sealing its pact on seats and also in anticipation of the Election Commission (ECI) announcing the Bihar assembly election schedule soon.

Since the Opposition yatra mostly covered a stretch of border districts of Bihar, the allies have now decided to hold meetings individually and collectively in other districts to drive home the message against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state and "vote chori" (vote theft).

While the Congress leadership is trying to leverage the manner it dominated the "yatra optics" to hold on to the same number of seats, 70, as it contested the last time despite winning only 17, people familiar with the matter said that the alliance leader RJD has conveyed to Congress interlocutors that the party would have to give up "15 to 20" seats to settle down with 50-55 seats, something the Congress camp is trying to resist.

The RJD is also disinclined to Congress' wish of a pre-poll commitment or announcement of the party's claim for a deputy chief ministership. "The task now is to fight the election unitedly and win, not to think of the post-poll scenario," a leader involved in the talks told ET on condition of anonymity. Another leader said, "So far, 37 seats have been cleared for the Congress, including 17 sitting seats and 20 where the vote tally was relatively better. Talks are on for more seats."

The RJD has nudged the Congress to settle for lesser seats by citing, besides the latter's poor strike rate last time, the compulsion to accommodate the CPI (ML) and Mukesh Sahani-led VIP with more seats. While the CPI (ML), which demonstrated a good strike rate by winning 12 out of the 19 seats it contested last time and better vote-transfer capability to allies, is seeking 30 seats, it may get 23-25 seats, according to people in the know. The VIP, with influence among the boatmen community, is being persuaded to settle for 10-12 seats. "RJD itself may settle for a little less than the 140 seats it contested last time, so naturally, others should also show realistic accommodation," said an alliance leader.

The CPI and CPI (M) too are being persuaded to shed a few of the 10 seats they fought last time, as the alliance is also trying to give tactical space to the RLJP of Pashupati Paras. The JMM is being dissuaded from asking for seats since, not being a recognised party in Bihar, it won't be entitled to contest on the party symbol.