Bihar Polls: NDA, Mahagathbandhan resort to tough bargains as seat-sharing challenges linger

The talks in the ruling NDA alliance has become even more challenging due to the demands of Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha.

The seat-sharing parley in Bihar ahead of the keenly-watched assembly polls later this year is turning into a major challenge for both -- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- led National Democratic Alliance and the Mahagathbandhan alliance.

The tactful maneuvering, resorted to by alliance partners, to arrive at an agreed tally has only increased with the joining of two new parties -- Jharkhand Mukhti Morcha (JMM) and Padhupati Paras' LJP faction into the grand alliance.

Leaders familiar with the development, speaking to the press after the conclusion of the meeting at Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s residence on Saturday outlined how Pasupati Kumar Paras-led Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar under the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). in - the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha of Hemant Soren and the LJP faction of Pashupati Paras. The Congress and the CPI-ML have also been demanding more seats.

Meanwhile, the talks in the ruling NDA alliance has become even more challenging due to the demands of Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha. Another out-of-turn announcement by Bihar chief minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar on Saturday has only intensified the suspense around a consensus number.

Kumar announced former state minister Santosh Kumar Nirala as the party’s candidate from Rajpur (reserved) assembly constituency in Buxar district. The announcement came ahead of formal seat-sharing arrangements among NDA allies, including BJP, JD(U), LJP(RV), HAM and RLM.

The alliance arithmetic of Mahagathbandhan in 2020

Last time, the RJD had contested 144 seats, while the Congress had fielded its candidates on 70 seats, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation 19 seats, CPI six and CPM four seats. It is said that the RJD might contest 122-124 seats, Congress 58-62, left parties 31-33, VIP 20-22, RLJP 5-7 and JMM 2-3 seats.

There are currently six parties in Bihar's Grand Alliance - Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress, CPI, CPM and VIP. Now JMM and LJP (Paras) have also joined it. This means now the state's 243 assembly seats will have to be divided among the 8 parties - a situation that makes arriving at a consensus complicated.

Another possible irritant

Another possible irritant for the grand alliance may be Mukesh Sahni's VIP's (Vikashsheel Insaan Party) inclusion in Mahagathbandhan. Saini has asked for 50 seats and the post of deputy chief minister if the alliance wins.

Mukesh Sahni also wants that along with declaring Tejashwi as the Chief Ministerial face, Mahagathbandhan also declare him as the Deputy Chief Minister face. It will be a tough task for RJD's Tejashwi Yadav or the Congress to accommodate Mukesh Sahni, sources said. Chances are the party can get 20 to 25 seats. Many parties have objections even to that number since last time Sahni contested 11 seats and won only 4.

Persisting niggles within the NDA grouping

Minor niggles crop up from time to time even within the NDA camp. Jitan Ram Majhi's statement regarding his party - Hindustani Awam Morcha - going solo in the polls is the latest example of the continuing strain. Manjhi had claimed that his party will go alone in the Bihar assembly polls if it did not get its due in the BJP-led NDA. However, he retracted the statement on Saturday contending that he had tried to enthuse party workers with the remarks.

The Chirag Paswan factor

Jitan Ram Manjhi is known to be not on good terms with cabinet colleague and alliance partner Chirag Paswan. Recently, he had frowned upon the demand for "more than 40 seats", reportedly, by the Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Last week, LJP (RV) MP Arun Bharti had said that the party should get anything between 43 and 137 seats to contest as part of the NDA in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. He asserted that that LJP (RV) will be fighting the polls with Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) for the first time. Notably, Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV) had won all five seats contested in last year's Lok Sabha polls.