The Congress party is scheduled to convene its Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in Delhi on Wednesday, amid ongoing challenges in finalising seat-sharing arrangements within the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
The meeting, attended by senior leaders including Bihar screening committee chairman Ajay Maken, will focus on deliberating over more than 50 seats. This strategic move is aimed at asserting Congress’s preparedness for the elections and applying pressure on its alliance partners, signalling that the party is "battle ready" for the high-stakes polls.
A party source said that the Congress’s determination to avoid last-minute disruptions despite the unresolved seat-sharing issues. “Despite the prevailing confusion over seat allocation, Congress’s decision to conduct its major meeting in Delhi sends a clear message to its allies,” the source stated.
“There is no tokenism regarding the CEC's proceedings; the seats cleared by the committee will be the ones we contest, with no turning back." The CEC meeting coincides with a third round of alliance talks held at the residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav in Patna, which continued late into Tuesday night. Representatives from the RJD, Congress, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and CPI(M) participated in the discussions.
A leader involved in the talks revealed that the VIP, led by founder Mukesh Sahani, was demanding over 40 seats, challenging Congress’s claim to as many as 60 seats due to its perceived limited ground presence in Bihar.
The leader remarked, “(VIP founder Mukesh) Sahani argued that the Mallah community stands firmly behind him and that his support would be crucial in bringing the opposition bloc to power by consolidating Mallah votes. He deserves recognition. So why should Congress make such a large claim?” Reports also indicated heated exchanges between VIP and Congress representatives, with Congress defending its position by citing its recent performance and the momentum generated by Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ over the past six months.
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The ongoing seat-sharing deadlock may reflect a broader bargaining strategy, according to another Congress leader. “It is believed that the RJD may have an understanding with some of these smaller parties, encouraging them to push for a larger share in order to reduce Congress’s claim,” the leader said. “Parties like the VIP have only a few viable candidates, and the RJD may be looking to field its own leaders in the constituencies that Sahani is demanding.”
Despite the tensions, Congress remains steadfast in its position. While willing to accommodate its newer allies, the party insists that both the RJD and Congress must share the responsibility of conceding seats proportionally to maintain a balanced alliance. To strengthen its stance, Congress has advanced its candidate selection process through the CEC, having completed an extensive screening exercise and prepared a candidate list for over 70 seats.
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