The political climate in Bihar is intensifying as the state gears up for assembly elections. Negotiations regarding seat-sharing arrangements within the alliances are ongoing. There is no consensus on how many seats each party will contest. Leaders from both the NDA and the India Bloc are currently working on finalizing seat allocations.
In a recent public address in Muzaffarpur, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav made a significant declaration that has created a stir. He stated that the RJD would be contesting all 243 seats in Bihar. This pronouncement has raised questions about the stability of the current alliance. He requested the public’s support, urging them to vote based on his leadership.
During the event in Muzaffarpur, Tejashwi Yadav also inaugurated a statue of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. He used the occasion to express his commitment to the development of Bihar while also criticizing the current government. He alleged that the government was only following the opposition and lacked vision. He also criticized the government for corruption, where the poor are exploited from the police station to the headquarters.
Tejashwi Yadav’s announcement comes amidst complicated seat-sharing negotiations within the Grand Alliance, complicated by the participation of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Lok Janshakti Party.
In the 2020 elections, the RJD contested 144 seats and won 75, becoming the leading party within the alliance. The Congress contested 70 seats and won 19. According to Congress state in-charge Krishna Allavaru, new parties joining the alliance will necessitate seat sacrifices from the existing partners.
The BJP has also reacted to Tejashwi Yadav’s statement. BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar urged Tejashwi Yadav to be realistic, pointing out that he lacked the resources to independently contest all 243 seats. Kumar suggested that the statement was a tactic to pressure the Congress and other allies and questioned public trust, drawing attention to past scandals. He predicted that the NDA would secure votes based on the appeal of Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi.