Sparks fly in grand alliance over seat sharing for Lok Sabha polls

The hardened stance of RJD, which considers itself a senior partner in the alliance, might not impress the Congress leadership, which has already sounded out that it wants a respectable seat adjustment.

Even though formal talks on seat sharing within the Mahagathbandhan, or the grand alliance (GA) for the parliamentary polls are yet to begin, there are already indications that the exercise may not be a smooth one as the RJD is keen on fighting at least 22 seats and leaving 7-8 seats for the Congress to accommodate other allies.

The mahagathbandhan got a boost when RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha joined the alliance during a press conference at AICC in New Delhi on December 20. (AP)

Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats.

The hardened stance of RJD, which considers itself a senior partner in the alliance, might not impress the Congress leadership, which has already sounded out that it wants a respectable seat adjustment.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the RJD and Congress had contested 27 and 13 seats, respectively.

Citing basis, RJD strategists are pushing a formula wherein both parties leave five seats each so that there is enough room for accommodating other allies like Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, Sharad Yadav-led Loktantrik Janata Dal ( LJD), HAM(S), BSP, CPI and CPI-ML(Liberation).

“ By this formula, the RJD would contest 22 seats and Congress around 8. This way, we will have 10 to 11 spare seats so that smaller allies could be accommodated as per the winnability factor. This formula is workable and should be accepted by Congress and smaller allies,” said a former MP and confidant of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, while wishing not to be quoted.

Sources said senior RJD leaders have decided not to cede too much space to the Congress. “There are reports that the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh has offered only two seats to Congress. Taking that into account, the Congress should not expect a big number of seats in Bihar where its base is not as big as RJD’s,” said another senior RJD leader.

Party’s national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary said seat-sharing talks in the alliance would begin formally after January 14 following Makar Sankranti, but cautioned that a respectable arrangement could be worked out only when both RJD and Congress agree to a less number of seats than they fought in 2014.

“Our objective is to check the split of anti-BJP votes and bring together like-minded forces opposed to NDA. So, we cannot have a rigid approach on seats and have to forgo some seats so that smaller allies could be accommodated,” he said.

Senior Congress leaders and state unit’s working presidents Shyam Sundar Singh Dheeraj and Kauqab Quadri , however, tried to play safe on the seat adjustments stating that it was too early to comment on it. Asked about RJD’s stand of offering 7-8 seats to the party, the leaders maintained all issues regarding seat adjustments would be worked out when formal talks begin after January 14. “ We want to have an arrangement on seats on the winnability factor and that should be the main criteria,” said Quadri.

Incidentally, allotment of seats to smaller allies like RLSP , LJD, HAM( S) and left parties would not be an easy job as they have already started demanding a sizeable share. The RLSP is keen on contesting six seats, HAM ( S) on three, LJD on two while the CPI and CPI-ML(liberation) have demanded six seats each.

Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM( S) has struck an aggressive posture by demanding three seats of Gaya, Jehanabad and Munger while the CPI has asserted it would not settle for less than six seats, including Begusarai, where the party wants to field its youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar.

“There are inherent contradictions in the seat distribution in the GA. Each party wants to grab as many seats as possible so as to position themselves in the forthcoming assembly polls. The adjustments may not be as smooth as in the NDA as there are too many leaders in GA and many CM candidates who want to show their clout by bagging higher seats,” said Ashok Kumar, a senior BJP leader.