NEW DELHI: Disagreement has surfaced within the opposition bloc—Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)-- in Bihar over the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Assembly elections. The Communist Party of India (CPI) (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation has rejected the number of seats offered to it by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the largest constituent of the coalition.
The Left party was reportedly offered 19 seats; the same number it contested in the 2020 Assembly elections, when it won 12 as part of the alliance. However, the CPI-ML (Liberation) has objected to both the number of seats and the proposed swapping of several constituencies it had contested last time.
Sources in CPI-ML (Liberation) said that the party had already conveyed its displeasure, submitted a list of 30 preferred constituencies, and was awaiting a formal response. They indicated that the final decision would depend on “mutual respect” among alliance partners and the “political significance” of constituencies under discussion.
“Our party can’t be taken for granted. We can’t compromise with the dignity of the party. The CPI-ML (Liberation) is not demanding more seats but improving the winnability of the alliance. We are seeking seats in districts which are considered hotbeds for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) such as Madhubani, Gaya, Nalanda, Champaran and others. It is now up to the RJD what decision it takes. Future action will be decided based on their response,” said a leader.
Pressure has mounted on the senior partners of the alliance—RJD and the Congress-- as the Left parties are pressed for a significantly larger share in the upcoming elections. The CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, CPI and CPI-Marxist (CPM) collectively demanded at least 75 assembly seats.
The CPIML-Liberation, the most electorally successful Left party in the state, submitted its claims for 40 seats officially. The party had contested 19 seats in the 2020 elections and won 12. Its vote share was 3.16 percent.
“It was not a dignified offer. At least three of our seats were also changed. We don’t know if they want Gathbandhan to win,” the sources in CPI-ML (Liberation) also said.
The Mahagathbandhan, which includes the RJD, Congress, and other Left parties, fell just short of a majority in the last election with 110 out of 243 seats.
