In a major development ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress is set to contest 61 seats as part of the Mahagathbandhan alliance, party sources said on Sunday.
Seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are reportedly in the final stages, with just a few constituencies, two or three, still under negotiation. A formal announcement is expected as early as tomorrow.
According to sources, the RJD, which initially aimed to contest 144 seats, has agreed to field candidates in 135 constituencies. The Congress, which was eyeing 70, will now settle for 61 seats under the alliance.
On the other hand, all eyes are on Raghopur, as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is slated to file his nomination from the high-profile constituency on October 15.
Raghopur carries immense political and emotional weight for the Yadav family. The seat has been a stronghold of the RJD, previously represented by party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Tejashwi Yadav has held the seat since 2015 and is seeking a third consecutive term.
Adding to the drama, Jan Suraaj Party founder and political strategist Prashant Kishor has recently hinted at the possibility of contesting from Raghopur. His entry would make the contest even more intense, potentially setting up a face-off with Tejashwi in one of Bihar’s most watched electoral battles.
(With inputs from Agencies)