Congress holds high-level talks on seat-sharing pact; RJD may contest from 136

The Congress has already approved 18-20 names for seats going to polls in the first phase on November 6.

Seat-sharing negotiations within the opposition INDIA bloc remained uncertain on Wednesday, with senior Congress leaders holding high-level discussions to finalise the seats the party wants to contest before seeking approval from its key ally — the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), people aware of the developments said.

A Congress supporter waves the party flag in Patna, Bihar. (PTI)

The RJD also issued a list of around 35 candidates, which includes several sitting MLAs and Osama Saheb, son of deceased former Siwan strongman and MP Mohammed Shahabuddin. Osama would be contesting from Raghunathpur seat in Siwan, while former Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary too has been given a ticket from another Siwan seat, sources said.

Meanwhile, a Congress committee formed to finalise the seat-sharing deal with RJD and other allies, led by AICC treasurer Ajay Maken, is scheduled to take a final call on seat arrangements. “A meeting of Congress leaders is underway in New Delhi. A clearer picture of the seat-sharing deal will emerge by evening once Congress apprises about the number of seats and list the party is ready to contest from, apart from those already approved by allies in the last few days,” an RJD leader said, seeking anonymity.

The Congress has already approved 18-20 names for seats going to polls in the first phase on November 6, sources said.

Hectic parleys between the RJD and Congress on Tuesday night are said to have progressed in a positive direction, with the RJD taking a more conciliatory approach to the demand of the grand old party to give more than 60 seats.

Under the seat-sharing formula being discussed among major allies in Mahagathbandhan, the RJD may contest on 136 seats while the Congress may be allotted 60-62 seats; the Vikasheel Insaan Party(VIP) led by Mukesh Sahani may get 18 seats. The Left parties, including CPI-ML(liberation), may get 20 seats, of which 18 seats have already been approved by the RJD whereas CPI and CPM may get in total 10 seats, insiders said.

“Talks are on and all major allies have now come on board for fighting the assembly polls unitedly,” another RJD leader said.