Manoj Jha and Imran Pratapgarhi (File photos)
NEW DELHI: The seesaw in the Bihar seat-sharing saga seems to continue in the Mahagathbandhan as no party in the bloc appears to get off first without squeezing out every last seat possible. In the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, allies are busy balancing ambition and arithmetic, each hoping to tip the scale in their favour before the final deal is struck.In Bihar’s opposition camp, the tension isn’t just political. It’s poetic. As seat-sharing talks appear to hit a rough patch, RJD’s Manoj Jha and Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi traded shayaris that spoke volumes about the unease simmering between the allies.After RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on the seat-sharing agreement, Manoj Jha wrote on X: “Rahiman dhaaga prem ka, mat todo chhitkaay, toote se phir na mile, mile gaanth parijaay. Har avsar ke liye prasangik. Jai Hind”. (“Don’t snap the thread of love, Rahim says — once broken, it may be tied again, but the knot will always remain”.)Replying to ally Manoj Jha’s post, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi wrote: “Paani aankh mein bhar kar laaya ja sakta hai, Ab bhi jalta shehar bachaya ja sakta hai. ” (Tears can still be brought to the eyes; even a burning city can still be saved.) The rhyme didn’t just reveal the rift, but it sparked the question: Can the Mahagathbandhan stay united, or are its allies gearing up to go solo?The seat-sharing puzzle in Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan continues to test tempers and timing. Despite several rounds of talks between the Congress, RJD and Left leaders, the INDIA bloc is yet to crack the final formula.“Tejashwi and Congress leaders may finalise seat-sharing in the next few days and could announce their candidates along with a joint manifesto this week,” an RJD functionary said.Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru sounded cautious yet confident: “Seat distribution is being finalised. The list of candidates will be released soon. Our effort is to form a good govt for the people of Bihar so that the alliance is not harmed and Bihar benefits.”But the Congress may have to settle for a smaller slice this time, given its poor 2020 performance, bagging only 19 of the 70 seats it contested. The RJD, by contrast, had fought 144 seats and won 75 in the 243-member Assembly.Earlier on Monday, the Congress held its Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in New Delhi to fine-tune its Bihar strategy. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, and BPCC chief Rajesh Ram were among those present.Rajesh Ram said, “All issues were discussed in the INDIA alliance meeting, in which Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders participated. The discussions were positive, and preparations for seat announcements are underway. There is a possibility of a meeting with Tejashwi Yadav soon.”Meanwhile, sources said VIP chief Mukesh Sahni has been offered 18 seats by the RJD, of which 10 would have RJD’s own candidates contesting on the VIP symbol. The RJD, not waiting for last-minute chaos, has already asked its likely candidates to begin filing nominations for the first phase of polling.