- Congress and RJD are disputing over seats, with the Congress asking for 10 more seats than offered
- While CPI-ML wants around 30 seats, the RJD is likely to offer 10 to the Left parties, sources said
- RJD has offered 12 seats to the VIP, which has demanded over 20 seats and the Deputy Chief Minister post
Election dates for Bihar have been announced but seat sharing talks in the Opposition Grand Alliance are at a standstill, as the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD thrash out the issue. The dispute is not only about the number of seats but also claims to strong seats. Following a meeting held on Monday night, sources said the RJD has agreed to give the Congress approximately 54 seats. The Congress, however, is demanding 10 more.
Efforts are being made to find a middle ground. Leaders of both parties will meet again on Tuesday night.
The CPI-ML, meanwhile, has rejected the RJD's proposal for 19 seats and has demanded approximately 30. The party has had the best strike rate in the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and is now pushing for more seats.
The RJD can offer 10 seats to the Left block, sources have indicated. The Left was offered 10 seats the last time as well.
Earlier today, Tejashwi Yadav held a meeting with the Left parties at his official residence. Another meeting was held with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
Sources said the RJD has offered Mukesh Sahni's VIP 12 seats, but the party is demanding more than 20 seats and the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
The JMM, RLJP of Pashupati Paras, and IP Gupta's Inclusive Party will be accommodated by the RJD and Congress from their respective quotas, sources said.
It is believed that the RJD wants to contest approximately 140 seats on its own. If the party agrees to scale back slightly - even by 10 - the seat sharing process will be smoother. Else friendly contests between allies could be a distinct possibility on some seats.
Although the seat sharing issue remains complicated, sources say a deal will be reached.
The likely break-up could run like this -- RJD, JMM, RLJP: 135; Congress and IIP: 58; CPI-ML: 25; CPI: 6; CPM: 4 and VIP: 15.
If all goes well, the seat-sharing agreement within the INDIA Alliance -- as well as the decision on Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Minister face -- will be finalised within the next two days, sources said.
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