INDIA Bloc Faces Seat-Sharing Turmoil in Bihar Ahead of Phase One Polls

Multiple Candidates File Nominations from Same Constituencies; Rift Widens Among Allies

Patna — As Bihar gears up for the first phase of Assembly elections, the opposition INDIA bloc is grappling with internal discord, with seat-sharing talks still unresolved even after the nomination deadline has passed. The confusion has led to multiple candidates from the alliance filing nominations in over a dozen constituencies, exposing cracks within the coalition.

One of the most contentious flashpoints has emerged in Kutumba, where Congress has renominated state president Rajesh Ram, a two-time MLA. However, the RJD has reportedly decided to field Suresh Paswan from the same seat, sparking a public spat between the allies. Reacting sharply, Rajesh Ram took to X, declaring, “Dalits will not bow down… now there will be revolution. Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Constitution, Jai Congress.”

Similar turf wars are unfolding across several constituencies. In Gaura Bauram (Darbhanga), the RJD’s candidate is pitted against VIP chief Mukesh Sahani’s brother, Santosh Sahani, even though the seat was originally allotted to VIP. The RJD later clarified that its nominee would withdraw, but the damage appears to be done.

Disputes also persist over Tarapur (Munger) and Lalganj (Vaishali), where RJD’s Shivani Shukla, daughter of strongman Munna Shukla, is contesting against Congress’s Aditya Kumar Raja.

The situation is no better in Vaishali, Rosera, and Kahalgaon, where RJD and Congress candidates find themselves in direct competition. The CPI-ML and Congress are also clashing in Bachhwara (Samastipur) and Rajapakar (Vaishali).

In Biharsharif (Nalanda), both Congress’s Umar Khan and CPI’s Satish Yadav have filed nominations, while in an unprecedented twist, Naveen Kumar in Alamnagar (Madhepura) has filed papers representing both RJD and VIP.

Despite these clashes, top alliance leaders — Pawan Khera (Congress), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), and Mritunjay Tiwari (RJD) — maintain that the seat-sharing arrangement is “almost finalised” and that “minor misunderstandings will be ironed out soon.”

However, confusion reigns at the grassroots, with party workers unsure which candidate to support. If the overlapping nominations aren’t withdrawn by October 21, the INDIA bloc could face a split in votes, potentially giving the NDA a decisive edge in the first phase of polling.