The opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ alliance in Bihar is likely to finalise its seat-sharing in the next few days and may announce its candidates along with a joint manifesto this week.Top sources said talks between the RJD and Congress are underway, and their leadership may meet on Monday as RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav are in the national capital.
When asked about the seat-sharing, Lalu Prasad said the talks are on among the alliance partners. “There is a meeting of the alliance. Talks are on,” he told reporters.
However, his son Tejashwi Yadav said, “We have come here as the court has called us.” He did not elaborate further.
The RJD chief and his family members are likely to appear in a court here in a case related to the land-for-jobs scam on Monday.
The Yadavs were received at the airport by some Congress leaders.
The Congress is likely to get a lesser number of seats than the last time due to its dismal performance in the 2020 assembly polls, when it won 19 out of 70 seats it contested.
“The Congress president has been speaking to all the coalition partners in Bihar, and the final discussion is on for deciding candidates in a few seats where the Congress and some other parties feel they are strong.
“The Congress president is talking to all political leaders for the last two days in Bihar,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.
He said the talks between the leaderships of RJD and Congress are also on and the leaders of the two main parties may also meet by Monday.
On the delay in seat-sharing announcement, Ramesh said, “We have to adjust some new partners in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and we have to adjust them too in seat-sharing.”