The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) recently concluded its seat-sharing agreement in Bihar. As per the arrangement, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will be contesting 26 out of the 40 seats, while Congress will contest nine seats, with the Left parties taking the remainder. Notably, Purnea is a key seat in the alliance, where RJD is fielding Bima Bharti after a reported disagreement with Congress over candidate selection.
Purnea will be going to the polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, with the last date for nominations on April 4. RJD leader Manoj Jha emphasized that the alliance is between political parties and not individuals, in response to Pappu Yadav’s desire to contest from Purnea on a Congress ticket. The seat-sharing pact was announced by RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui in a press conference attended by Congress State Chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh.
The agreement follows a series of meetings and discussions, addressing reported discontent within the alliance. Congress leaders expressed unhappiness over RJD’s unilateral decisions regarding candidate selection, such as the allocation of party symbols before finalizing the seat-sharing arrangement. This included the assignment of the Aurangabad seat symbol to Abhay Kushwaha and the allotment of the Begusarai seat to the Communist Party of India, issues that reportedly raised concerns among the Congress members.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has emphasized the strong historical ties and partnership between RJD and Congress, stating that the alliance has remained steadfast through various challenges and elections. Bihar holds significant political sway, being the state to send the third-largest number of lawmakers to the Lok Sabha. In the 2019 national polls, the National Democratic Alliance secured a sweeping victory in Bihar, winning 39 seats, with Congress securing only the Kishanganj seat. Despite contesting 20 seats, RJD could not secure a victory in the 2019 polls.
