Bihar Elections 2025: Congress Clears 22+ Candidates, Seat Talks Heat Up in Grand Alliance

Patna (The Uttam Hindu): Political activity within Bihar’s Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) has intensified ahead of the assembly elections. In a meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee held on Wednesday, the party discussed around 50 potential candidates and approved more than 22 names. The list includes several sitting MLAs, signaling that the Congress is unwilling to compromise on certain stronghold constituencies.

During the meeting, the Congress gave preliminary approval to candidates with strong local influence. Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram (Kutumba) and CLP Leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan (Kadwa) have also received final approval. This move, according to political analysts, sends a clear message to RJD and other alliance partners — that the Congress will not easily give up its traditional and influential seats during seat-sharing negotiations.

Congress Eyes Over 60 Seats

The Congress expects to contest more than 60 seats within the Grand Alliance. Wednesday’s meeting focused on potential constituencies where the party has a solid vote base. Sources suggest that talks on seat distribution with alliance partners are in their final stages. A joint press conference may be held in Patna on October 11 or 12 to announce all candidates officially.

The Election Commission has announced two-phase polling in Bihar on November 6 and 11, with counting on November 14.

Within the alliance, RJD wants 130 seats, while the Congress is demanding 60–65. However, RJD has reportedly refused to offer more than 50–55 seats. Mukesh Sahani’s VIP is seeking 35–40 seats and has also staked claim to the Deputy CM post. Left parties want 30–40 seats, with CPI(ML) submitting a list of 30 constituencies (up from 19 last time). RJD’s plan reportedly includes giving 14–18 seats to VIP, 30–32 to Left, 3 to JMM, and 2 to RLJP led by Pashupati Paras.