The countdown to the Bihar Assembly elections has already begun and political activities have intensified across the state. The most heated debate remains the seat sharing formula between the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan. While clarity is yet to emerge within the NDA over final allocation, the Mahagathbandhan too is struggling to achieve consensus. The Congress, one of the key allies in the opposition camp, has stepped up its own preparations. Senior leaders have been holding strategy sessions and constituency-level reviews to strengthen the party’s position before polls.
Congress prepares on 76 constituencies
According to sources, Bihar Congress has begun groundwork on 76 constituencies. Out of these, candidates for 38 constituencies are likely to be announced soon. The significant point is that Congress is moving forward without waiting for approval from its primary ally Rashtriya Janata Dal. A high-level meeting is scheduled in Delhi where several leaders from the Bihar unit will participate and present their strategy. The message from the Congress camp is clear: the party does not want to remain dependent on others when it comes to candidate selection.
Seat sharing remains complicated
Negotiations over seat sharing have always been a delicate matter in Bihar politics. This time, the Congress is pushing for a fair distribution of strong and weak constituencies. Leaders argue that in addition to the 19 seats won in 2020, constituencies where the party lost by narrow margins of less than 5,000 votes must also be allotted to them. In total, Congress is aiming for close to 70 seats. Meanwhile, the RJD continues to be the dominant partner, having contested 144 seats in 2020 and winning 75. Reports suggest that the RJD still maintains a strong hold over around 90 constituencies.
Question of Chief Minister face
The choice of the Chief Ministerial face has become another major friction point. Congress leaders have openly stated that Tejashwi Yadav will not be declared as the CM candidate at this stage. Instead, the final decision will be left to the voters. This stand has caused discontent within the RJD, where cadres were expecting Tejashwi’s leadership to be endorsed by allies. The Congress, however, wants to keep options open and avoid limiting its campaign to one personality.
Rahul Gandhi’s outreach and its impact
Congress is also banking on Rahul Gandhi’s recent voter outreach campaign, described as the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, to consolidate support in Bihar. Party leaders claim that the campaign has successfully revived the Congress base, particularly among youth and first-time voters. This renewed confidence has also encouraged the party to demand not only more seats but also the post of Deputy Chief Minister if the alliance comes to power. On the other side, Tejashwi Yadav has launched his own mass contact program, called the ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra’, which is being seen as a counter to Rahul Gandhi’s efforts.
Internal challenges within Mahagathbandhan
The Mahagathbandhan is not just an alliance between Congress and RJD. Left parties such as CPI, CPM, and CPI-ML, along with JMM, RLJP led by Pashupati Kumar Paras, and VIP led by Mukesh Sahani, are also part of the coalition. Each party is eyeing a larger share of seats. CPI-ML, for instance, contested 19 seats in 2020 and won 12. Given this strong performance, it is pressing hard for more constituencies this time. This has further complicated negotiations, as the pie has to be divided among more partners than in the past.
Balancing seat distribution
The central challenge for the Mahagathbandhan leadership is to balance the ambitions of multiple allies. Congress wants seats where it came close in the last election. RJD wants to retain its traditional bastions. The Left parties want recognition of their grassroots influence in select districts. The JMM is eyeing constituencies near the Jharkhand border, while RLJP and VIP are pushing for areas where their community base can help the alliance. The difficulty lies in ensuring no partner feels sidelined while keeping the alliance united against the NDA.
NDA’s silence on allocation
While the Mahagathbandhan continues to face hurdles, the NDA camp has also not finalized its arrangement. BJP, JD(U), HAM, and other allies are still negotiating. This delay has provided the Congress with an opportunity to project itself as proactive and ready. Party leaders argue that early candidate declarations help in grassroots campaigning and mobilization of resources, giving them an edge over competitors.
Rising tension between RJD and Congress
Behind the scenes, tensions between Congress and RJD are evident. RJD views Congress as a weaker partner that should accept fewer seats. Congress, however, believes its recent outreach and Rahul Gandhi’s growing popularity in Bihar cannot be ignored. By preparing candidates independently, Congress is signaling that it will not play a secondary role in the alliance. Observers believe this tug of war could continue till the last round of negotiations.
Public perception and electoral strategy
Ultimately, the success of any alliance depends on how the public perceives it. Frequent disagreements over seat sharing and leadership issues risk creating confusion among voters. The Congress hopes its strategy of focusing on people-centric issues and not projecting a CM face immediately will resonate with the electorate. The RJD, on the other hand, believes Tejashwi Yadav’s popularity will give the Mahagathbandhan an edge. Both parties are now trying to test their narratives on the ground through yatras and public meetings.
The Bihar Assembly elections are shaping up to be a battle not just between NDA and Mahagathbandhan but also within alliances themselves. For the Congress, the challenge is to expand its base without alienating key partners. For the RJD, it is about asserting leadership while accommodating allies. The final seat sharing formula will reveal how much space each partner gets and whether the Mahagathbandhan can present a united front. Until then, Bihar’s political landscape will continue to witness rapid shifts and intense negotiations, keeping both voters and analysts on edge.
