Bihar polls: Lalu distributes tickets even as seat-sharing talks continue
What's the story
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan is yet to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. However, RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav has already started distributing party tickets to his preferred candidates, per reports. This includes some prominent leaders who recently switched parties. The move is reminiscent of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when the RJD announced candidates before an official agreement was reached.
Ticket distribution
Tejashwi Yadav's bid to woo Bhumihars
After returning to Patna from Delhi, where he had appeared before a court in the IRCTC scam case, Yadav distributed party symbols to his chosen candidates. A large crowd gathered outside his residence as aspirants received phone calls from the party. Sunil Singh (Parbatta), who resigned from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) last week, and Narendra Kumar Singh, a multiple-term former Matihani MLA, were among those who received RJD symbols.
Son
Asked to return symbols
However, hours after Tejashwi Yadav reached his Patna residence from Delhi, all RJD leaders who had received symbols that evening received a phone call asking them to visit the leader and return the symbols, NDTV reported. Party leaders said they haven't been told explicitly why the leadership requested them to give back the symbols. Some leaders, like Ashraf Fatmi, said that no one was given the symbol and that the pictures on social media are "AI-generated."
Upcoming announcements
RJD likely to get more seats than Congress
The Mahagathbandhan is expected to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement in the coming days. They may announce their candidates along with a joint manifesto this week. The Congress is likely to get fewer seats than last time, after winning only 19 out of 70 seats it contested in 2020. In comparison, the RJD contested 144 seats and won 75 in Bihar's 243-member assembly.
BJP's announcement
BJP announces seat distribution for Bihar assembly polls
The NDA, on the other hand, has already announced seat distribution for the Bihar assembly polls. The Janata Dal (United) and BJP will contest 101 seats each. Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vikas) will contest on 29 seats, while Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will contest six seats each. The Bihar assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with vote counting on November 14.