The political landscape in Bihar is heating up in the run-up to the assembly elections. Key discussions are underway to determine how seats will be distributed among the alliance partners. No decisions have been made regarding the number of seats each party will contest. Leaders from the NDA and the India Bloc are currently engaged in talks on seat-sharing strategies.
At a public gathering in Muzaffarpur, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav made a notable announcement. He stated that the RJD would contest all 243 seats in Bihar. This declaration has raised doubts about the future of the existing alliance. He appealed to the public for their support, asking them to vote based on his leadership.
In Muzaffarpur, Tejashwi Yadav also inaugurated a statue of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. He took the opportunity to express his commitment to the future of Bihar, while also criticizing the current government. He accused the government of merely copying the opposition and lacking any forward-thinking strategies. He further claimed that corruption was widespread, particularly affecting the underprivileged.
This announcement comes as the Grand Alliance navigates complex seat-sharing talks, now further complicated by the inclusion of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Lok Janshakti Party.
During the 2020 elections, the RJD contested 144 seats, winning 75, and emerging as the major party in the alliance. The Congress contested 70 seats, securing 19 victories. Congress’s state in-charge Krishna Allavaru noted that accommodating new parties in the alliance would require seat adjustments from existing partners.
The BJP responded to Tejashwi Yadav’s statement. BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar advised Tejashwi Yadav to be realistic, suggesting that he doesn’t have the resources to independently contest all 243 seats. Kumar stated that the statement was likely a maneuver to put pressure on Congress and other allies and questioned public trust in Yadav, citing the fodder scam and land-for-jobs controversy. He predicted that the NDA would win votes due to the popularity of Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi.