Rahul Gandhi Calls Lalu Yadav Over Seat Sharing in Bihar

According to sources, on Thursday, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav regarding seat sharing for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. On the other hand, the NDA alliance has already finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the polls.

With the first phase of nominations already in progress and the deadline drawing near, the lack of agreement between the RJD and Congress over seat sharing has created uncertainty within the grand alliance. Sources say the key dispute centers on the number of seats Congress will get, along with a few traditional stronghold constituencies both parties are eyeing.

Initially, the RJD offered Congress 52 seats, but the proposal was turned down, with Congress insisting on at least 60. As discussions between state-level leaders hit a roadblock, the issue was escalated to the national leadership of both parties for resolution.

According to sources, the RJD has now agreed to give Congress 61 seats but is unwilling to part with some key constituencies that Congress has demanded. The RJD wants to retain its strongholds, including Kahalgaon, Narkatiyaganj, and Vasaliganj. Other seats like Chainpur and Bachwara were also discussed, though they are said to be less contentious.

Earlier, Congress had adopted a tougher approach, confident that Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra had improved the party’s standing in Bihar a state where it has struggled for influence in recent years. However, the party seems to have softened its position as talks progressed.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Congress has now agreed to settle for 61 seats nine fewer than the 70 it contested in 2020, when it managed to win only 19. The RJD is likely to contest the majority of seats but may still field fewer candidates than in the last election, when it won 75 out of 144 seats. Left parties such as CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(M), and CPI, along with former state minister Mukesh Sahani, are expected to be included in the remaining seats of the 243-member Bihar Assembly.

In a surprising move, Congress released its first list of candidates on Wednesday night, even before the seat-sharing deal was finalised. This came as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav filed his nomination from Raghopur the same day.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Lalu Prasad Yadav had distributed RJD symbols to several candidates at Rabri Devi’s residence, suggesting the party was preparing to move forward independently. However, sources later clarified that these symbols were withdrawn after Tejashwi Yadav returned to Patna following his meeting with Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.