Seat-sharing talks for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections hit fresh snags this week with the Congress and RJD now tussling over five seat. Members of the Mahagathbandhan have made repeated efforts to present a united front in recent weeks — even as cracks emerged over the selection of a Chief Ministerial candidate and nominations for certain seats. Allied parties including the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha have also pushed for a quick decision — insisting it would decide independently if nothing was finalised by next week.
‘Decide by October 14 or we will’: JMM tells INDIA bloc
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will take its own decision on the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections if respectable seats are not allocated to the party by INDIA bloc by October 14, a senior party leader said on Saturday.
The JMM is willing to contest at least 12 assembly seats in the Bihar polls as an ally of the INDIA bloc, he said.
“We are with the Mahagathbandhan and will contest the polls in alliance. We urge the leaders of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar to announce JMM’s share in the alliance at the earliest, as the nomination process has already begun,” JMM central general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said while addressing media persons here.
He said the party has also completed its preparations for the polls in Bihar.
Congress finalises 25 candidates
The developments also come a day after the Congress finalised the names of 25 party candidates as seat-sharing talks continue for the Bihar Assembly elections. Members of the Mahagathbandhan have made repeated efforts to present a united front in recent weeks — even as cracks emerged over the selection of a Chief Ministerial candidate. The Congress has not released the names of its chosen candidates and a formal announcement will come “only after discussion with alliance partners”.