Bihar’s political scene is intensifying as parties prepare for the upcoming assembly elections. The Grand Alliance, comprising the RJD and Congress, is actively opposing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Before the elections, Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition, met with coalition partners, announcing an ‘August Kranti’ campaign. This involves rallies led by Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, focused on criticizing the Nitish Kumar government and targeting the BJP. However, Mukesh Sahani, the leader of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), was absent from these crucial meetings.
Sahani’s recent actions are complicating matters for the Grand Alliance, particularly regarding seat distribution. Although Tejashwi Yadav is trying to downplay these disagreements, tensions are evident. The RJD has initiated several rounds of discussions to decide on seat-sharing. Following the latest meeting, Tejashwi Yadav stated that all allies have submitted their lists of preferred seats, with confidence in a smooth resolution.
However, Mukesh Sahani is making strong claims. He insists his party will contest 60 seats, with other alliance partners contesting the remainder. Sahani has also demanded the Deputy Chief Minister position, believing it would honor his community. He stated his preference to be the ‘groom,’ not a ‘guest.’ These demands raise questions, especially as the VIP has no current assembly seats, with its four MLAs having joined the BJP.
In the 2020 elections, Sahani demanded 25 seats and the Deputy CM post from the Grand Alliance. When his demands were not met, he joined the NDA, receiving 11 seats from the BJP. Although his party won four seats, later his MLAs joined the BJP. Now, Sahani’s demands are a challenge for the Grand Alliance. Analysts believe that such demands could upset the alliance’s internal balance and potentially lead to similar demands from smaller parties.
The RJD, the largest party in the alliance, contested 144 seats in the 2020 elections, winning 75. The Congress, which contested 70 seats in 2020 and won 19, is reportedly seeking approximately 50 seats. Congress has formed a committee led by Ajay Maken to strategize, though the party hasn’t declared Tejashwi Yadav as its CM face. Meanwhile, Left parties such as CPI, CPI(ML) have also put forward their demands.