Alliance close to finalizing deal, with Congress eyeing 60 seats; announcement expected by Wednesday amid ongoing constituency reviews.
BJP's partial list reveals drops and inclusions, while Nitish Kumar's silence sparks claims of discord over parity and allocations.
JD(U) MP Ajay Mandal resigns over exclusion; MLA Gopal Mandal protests outside CM's residence, underscoring accessibility issues within the party.
Mahagathbandhan May Announce Seat-Sharing Arrangement For Bihar By Wednesday Morning: Cong Leader
Congress national spokesperson Abhay Dubey claimed that the BJP's announcement of its partial candidates' list clearly indicated "friction" within the NDA camp.
Summary
Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) is meticulously reviewing every constituency, with a seat-sharing agreement potentially unveiled by Wednesday morning, according to Congress sources. This comes amid growing rifts within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), highlighted by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) release of a partial candidates' list, which Congress national spokesperson Abhay Dubey described as a clear sign of "friction" in the NDA camp.
Dubey, addressing reporters in Patna on Tuesday, pointed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's apparent withdrawal from public engagements as evidence of internal turmoil. "Nitish Kumar is neither meeting journalists nor his own party leaders. One of his MPs, Ajay Kumar Mandal, has resigned as he was not allowed to meet the CM. Another MLA, Gopal Mandal, was sitting outside the CM's residence. Where is the CM of Bihar? Why is he not interacting publicly?" Dubey questioned.
The INDIA bloc, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and other allies, has been locked in intense negotiations. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav met senior Congress figures in New Delhi on Monday to iron out details, with sources indicating Congress could secure around 60 seats in the deal. Despite bickering and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav prematurely distributing tickets to some leaders, the alliance aims to announce its full seat-sharing formula and poll manifesto this week, ahead of nomination deadlines. This strategic huddle underscores the opposition's effort to challenge the NDA's dominance in the 243-seat assembly, where margins were razor-thin in 2020.
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