Seat-sharing among INDIA bloc allies in Bihar will be decided in two-three days: Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi Yadav discusses seat-sharing in Bihar among INDIA bloc allies, criticizes NDA government over question paper leak.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who returned to Patna on March 18 after attending the Opposition INDIA (Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance) bloc rally in Mumbai, said seat-sharing among mahagathbandhan allies would be “decided in two-three days as it is in the final stage”.

“The seat-sharing for Bihar among the INDIA bloc allies is in the final stage and it will be decided in two-three days”, Mr. Yadav told media persons in Patna, while admitting, “there are some issues over a seat or two but everything will be sorted out in next few days”. The ruling NDA, though, announced seat sharing among Bihar coalition partners in Delhi on March 18.

The Opposition INDIA bloc in Bihar comprising the RJD, Congress, three Left parties: Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) will take on the NDA in 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. In the last 2019 general election, the NDA had won 39 seats while the Congress had registered win in the lone seat of Kishanganj. “This time, the NDA will win all 40 seats in Bihar”, reiterated NDA leaders, while addressing media persons to announce seat-sharing in Delhi on Monday.

Sources in the INDIA bloc allies, however, told The Hindu that the Congress might contest in 9-11 seats, while two seats would be left for the CPI-ML and one seat for the CPI. The rest 26-28 seats would be contested by the RJD. In the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, the Congress contested in 9 seats and the RJD has fielded candidates in 20 seats while leaving 11 seats to allies — Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (five), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Vikashil Insaan Party (VIP)-led by Mukesh Sahni three seats each. This time the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), which now has become Rashtriya Lok Morcha, are in NDA alliance. “In Bihar, the NDA will face its biggest loss in this Lok Sabha poll. The sooner the seats will be finalised and announced among our alliance partners, the better it will be, as poll dates have already been announced”, said a senior Congress leader.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tejashwi Yadav hit out at the ruling NDA government in Bihar over question paper leak issue. “What is the reason that as soon as the BJP formed the government in the State issues like paper leak started happening? Who is responsible for this? Will action be taken against those responsible for playing with the future of the youth?”, he asked. Recently, the question paper of the Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE)-3 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) was leaked and later, hundreds of students were detained by the police investigating the issue.