Bihar’s opposition Grand Alliance, bickering over assembly seats for weeks, has finally come to an arrangement that involves marginal climbdown for both Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, sources said. The RJD, which was angling for 144 seats, will now contest 135. Its ally Congress, which had its eye on 70 seats, will contest 61, sources say.The balance of Bihar’s 243 seats will go to the Left Front and Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party or VIP. The Front – CPIML, CPI and the CPM, will get 29-31 seats, the VIP will get 16.
The Congress had been demanding over 70 seats, a chunk of which, they said, should give them a sure shot at winning.