Rahul Gandhi calls Lalu Yadav to resolve seat-sharing dispute
Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge contacted RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav to break the seat-sharing deadlock in Bihar’s Grand Alliance, as nominations for the first election phase were already in progress.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge took decisive steps on Thursday, personally reaching out to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in a bid to resolve the growing seat-sharing deadlock between the two key allies of Bihar’s Grand Alliance, sources said. The telephonic discussion, which reflected the urgency of the situation, is still being evaluated, with the outcome yet to be officially confirmed.
The timing of the call was critical. Nominations for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections are already underway, and the deadline for filing papers is fast approaching. The inability of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress to agree on seat allocations has cast a shadow over the alliance’s unity, raising questions about whether the grand coalition can present a cohesive front to voters. Sources suggest that disagreements over the number of seats allotted to Congress, along with contention over key stronghold constituencies, are the main sticking points.
Initially, the RJD reportedly offered Congress 52 seats, which the party rejected, insisting on a minimum of 60 constituencies. State-level talks between Congress and RJD leaders reportedly reached an impasse, prompting the national leadership to intervene. Gandhi and Kharge’s direct involvement signaled the seriousness with which the Congress high command viewed the matter, particularly as Bihar has emerged as a crucial battleground for the party’s revival in the region.
According to sources, the RJD is said to have agreed to meet Congress’s demand for 61 seats, while maintaining a firm stance on retaining certain key constituencies. Among these were strongholds like Kahalgaon, as well as Narkatiyaganj and Vasaliganj, which the party considers strategically significant. Other seats, such as Chainpur and Bachwara, were discussed during the negotiations but were viewed as less contentious and potentially negotiable.
Congress, on its part, initially adopted an aggressive posture, buoyed by the perceived success of Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Adhikar Yatra, which the party believes has reinvigorated its image in the state. After years of being regarded as a weakened force in Bihar, the leadership hoped to leverage this momentum to secure a larger share of seats. However, as talks progressed, the party reportedly softened its stance, demonstrating a willingness to compromise to preserve the alliance.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Congress has now agreed to settle for 61 seats, which is nine fewer than the 70 seats it contested in 2020, a year when it won only 19 constituencies. Meanwhile, the RJD is expected to retain the majority of the seats within the alliance, although it may contest slightly fewer than in the previous election, where 75 of its 144 candidates emerged victorious. Other allies within the Mahagathbandhan, including CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(M), CPI, and former state minister Mukesh Sahani, are expected to be allocated seats from the remaining portion of the 243-member assembly.
As talks appeared to stall, reports emerged that Lalu Prasad Yadav had distributed party symbols to several RJD candidates at the residence of his wife, Rabri Devi. However, these symbols were reportedly withdrawn after Tejashwi Yadav returned to Patna following a meeting with Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, signaling that the high command’s intervention could still shape the final seat-sharing arrangement.
The negotiations highlight the complex dynamics of coalition politics in Bihar, where historic rivalries, local strongholds, and the ambitions of multiple parties intersect. For Congress, the stakes are high: a strong performance in the state could mark a revival in a region where it has long struggled to remain relevant. For the RJD, led by the Yadav family, maintaining its dominance while accommodating allies is a delicate balancing act, requiring strategic compromise without alienating key supporters.
Observers note that the personal intervention of national leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge underscores the gravity of the deadlock. It reflects the recognition that Bihar’s assembly elections are not just a regional contest but a barometer of the broader political landscape ahead of the 2025 general elections. The outcome of these negotiations could influence the Mahagathbandhan’s cohesion and the perception of unity among voters, particularly in constituencies where Congress hopes to regain ground.
As the alliance works to finalize the seat-sharing arrangement, all eyes remain on the negotiations. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether Bihar’s Grand Alliance can move forward with a united front, presenting a coordinated strategy to counter rival parties and strengthen its position in the state assembly elections.