CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: After days of speculations, the Mahagathbandhan, the opposition coalition in Bihar, finalised its seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats. This also includes the controversial Purnea seat.
The Congress will field its candidates in nine seats, followed by CPI(ML) in 3 seats. The CPI and CPI(M) have been allotted one each.
The grand alliance had faced some hiccups in seat-sharing, especially in Purnea, with rumours of a rift doing rounds. Former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who merged his Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) with the Congress, had staked a claim for the seat. He said he had received assurance of Congress ticket from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
However, the RJD had already allotted the seat to JD(U) turncoat Bima Bharti though they did not announce it.
But, after days of hectic parleys, a consensus was reached on the seat-sharing.
The Mahagathbandhan’s seat-sharing announcement comes a day after the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls was over.
The RJD has fielded its candidates in all four seats going to polls in the first phase, in what has been resented by allies as a “unilateral move”.
The Mahagathbandhan press conference here was scheduled to be addressed by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who, however, remained conspicuous by his absence. RJD national spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, who spoke at the press conference, said names of candidates would be announced soon in seats where the same has not been done already.