National News: As Bihar gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections, political heat within the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) is steadily rising over seat-sharing arrangements. In the midst of increasing pressure from allies, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has called an emergency meeting on Saturday to defuse tensions and finalize the seat distribution plan. Party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son, Tejashwi Yadav, are expected to attend the crucial discussion aimed at reaching a consensus among coalition partners. Earlier, a key alliance meeting scheduled for today was postponed, prompting the RJD to step in and hold this urgent round of talks to break the ongoing deadlock.
Tension Increases After Mukesh Sahni Goes Missing
Reports that Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni is “not reachable” have added confusion within the alliance. Sources say Sahni has stopped communicating with other party leaders. His demand for 60 seats and the post of Deputy Chief Minister is believed to be the main reason behind the deadlock. His firm stand has affected the ongoing talks and meetings within the alliance.
Meeting Between Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav
After returning to India, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to meet Tejashwi Yadav to resolve the seat-sharing issue for the Bihar polls. The Congress has agreed to let Tejashwi lead the Grand Alliance and guide the election strategy. It is expected that a final decision on seat-sharing will be taken after this important discussion between the two leaders.
Congress Screening Committee Meeting in Delhi
The Congress has almost finalized its list of candidates for Bihar. However, no official announcement has been made yet. The party’s screening committee will meet in Delhi today to give final approval to the list. Congress wants to release its list of candidates soon, especially since the alliance is still facing differences over seat distribution.
Dispute Between Congress and VIP Over Seats
Sources reveal that the main conflict within the Grand Alliance is between the Congress and VIP regarding the number of seats. The Congress wants at least 70 seats, while Mukesh Sahni is demanding 30 to 40 seats. Sahni is also firm on getting the Deputy Chief Minister post. This has put pressure on the RJD to convince both sides and maintain unity in the alliance.
Mukesh Sahni Rejects Offer of 14 Seats
Mukesh Sahni has clearly refused to settle for fewer than 20 seats. Despite a six-hour meeting with Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday night, Sahni did not issue any statement. It is believed that he was offered only 14 seats, far less than his demand. This disagreement has deepened the deadlock within the Grand Alliance.
Possible Seat-Sharing Formula of the Grand Alliance
According to sources, the RJD-led Grand Alliance has almost finalized a seat-sharing formula, which could be officially announced soon. Under the proposed plan, RJD will contest 137 seats, Congress will get 54 seats, VIP 18, CPI(ML) 22, CPI 4, CPM 6, and JMM 2 seats. If the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party joins the alliance, it may get 3 seats from RJD’s share.
