With Bihar’s election dates yet to be announced, political maneuvering is already underway, marked by pressure tactics. The ongoing situation may lead to the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) fracturing before the election, mirroring the events of the previous cycle. The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), a member of the alliance, has declared its intention to contest 60 seats. However, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the alliance’s key partner, is hesitant to concede a significant number of seats even to the Congress party, raising doubts about the possibility of accommodating a regional party like VIP.
Seat sharing discussions are intensifying within both major alliances (Mahagathbandhan and NDA). Smaller parties are demanding more seats. Mukesh Sahani’s VIP was part of the Mahagathbandhan in the 2020 election but failed to reach an agreement on seat distribution. The question now is whether Sahani’s demands will be met or if the alliance between Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahani will collapse at the last minute.
Mukesh Sahani, the founder of VIP, announced on social media that his party would contest 60 seats in the 2025 election. He further stated that candidates from allied parties would contest the remaining seats. This declaration has sparked speculation about the feasibility of his plan. Given that VIP is part of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, and the RJD is not keen on allocating many seats to Congress, it’s uncertain if they will concede 60 seats to a regional party.
Bihar has a 243-seat assembly. VIP’s unilateral decision to contest 60 seats, along with Sahani’s assertion that the Deputy Chief Minister will be from the Most Backward Classes (Mallah community), hints at his ambition for the Deputy CM post.
Several other parties also have their own demands. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), currently in power in Jharkhand, aims to contest at least 12 seats in Bihar. The Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party of Pashupati Paras had announced in February its intention to contest all 243 seats. The party recently indicated its preference to contest with the Mahagathbandhan and might demand around two dozen seats.
The three Left parties are also seeking more seats. In the 2020 election, these three parties won 16 seats. This time, they are demanding over 40 seats. The CPI-ML contested 19 seats and won 12, with their stronghold being in rural areas.
The RJD is not inclined to concede many seats to Congress either. The RJD itself plans to contest 140-145 seats, aiming to replicate its success from the previous election when it contested 144 seats and won 75, becoming the single largest party in Bihar. The Congress wants to contest around 70 seats, but the RJD is considering offering only 50-55 seats, citing the need to accommodate other allies.
In the 2020 assembly election, the Mahagathbandhan’s five parties contested, with RJD winning 75 out of 144 seats. Congress won 19 out of 70, CPI-ML won 12 out of 19, CPI won 2 out of 6, and CPI(M) won 2 out of 4. The three Left parties collectively won 16 out of 29 seats.
In the previous election, seat distribution issues led to the parting of ways between Mukesh Sahani’s party and the Mahagathbandhan. Sahani had accused the RJD of betrayal and sought 25 seats and the Deputy Chief Minister’s post.
This time, Sahani has raised the stakes further. He is now claiming 60 seats and has made a public announcement via social media. This move by Sahani is seen as pressure politics, and the success of his strategy remains to be seen. However, it’s evident that reaching an agreement on seat-sharing will be a significant challenge for the Mahagathbandhan.
