Lok Sabha Polls: Mahagathbandhan in Bihar rocked over seat-sharing dispute

The Mahagathbandhan alliance in Bihar, which includes Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and the Left, is facing a contention over seat-sharing ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to inside sources quoted by India Today, the issue revolves around claims on the same seats by the parties involved.

Out of Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats, elections for which are to be held in seven phases on April 19, 26, May 7, 13, 20, 25 and June 1, the RJD intends to contest on 28 seats, while Congress and the Left plan to fight for nine and three seats respectively.

However, the East Champaran, Nawada, Hajipur, and Gopalganj seats have become a bone of contention between the RJD and Congress. Furthermore, the RJD, Congress and Left are eyeing the Katihar seat.

The fate of Begusarai seat, whether it will be given to CPI, remains unknown.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, following a clean sweep in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has prioritized Begusarai and Hajipur seats, currently held by Union Ministers Pashupati Kumar Paras and Giriraj Singh respectively.

In response to the emerging issue, Tejashwi Yadav, RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, is set to visit Delhi to finalize the seat-sharing agreement and resolve the current problem with Congress and Left. He reassured journalists that the issue will be settled very soon.

During a recent address in Mumbai, Yadav forwarded Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's message emphasizing the importance of preserving India's constitution and promoting unity.

In a conversation with ANI, an optimistic Yadav vowed that the forthcoming election results in Bihar would surprise everyone. He questioned the contribution of the Central Government to Bihar's development over the last decade.

"What has the Central government done for Bihar in these last 10 years? The work that was done in 17 months, was not done in the last 17 years. Bihar did not get a special package and the work done by the BJP-led NDA was criticised by many, including the Chief Minister," he added.

The seat-sharing dispute follows the resignation of three Mahagathbandhan MLAs from their respective parties in February, two from RJD and one from Congress, a significant blow to the alliance.