Nomination begins for Bihar election but seat-sharing troubles continue

Jan Suraaj Party looking a role in the event of a hung-Assembly

By Dr. Gyan Pathak

Filing for nomination papers for the first phase of Bihar election has began on Friday , October 10 but both the NDA and INDI Alliance are still trying to overcome the troubles on account of seat-sharing among their alliance partners. All the political parties in the alliances are trying to get as many seats as possible to contest from their alliances. In the first phase, 121 out of 243 constituencies of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha will go to polls on November 6.

The last date of filing nomination is October 17, scrutiny of nomination October 18, last date for withdrawal of nomination October 20, and the date of poll November 6. Nomination for the second phase would begin on October 13, last date for filing nomination October 20, scrutiny of nomination October 21, last date for withdrawal of nomination October 23, and date of poll November 11. The date of counting of votes is scheduled for November 14.

The two chief political alliances contesting the elections are NDA and the INDI Alliance. There are five political parties in the NDA – JD(U), BJP, LJP(RV), RLM and HAM. Though NDA in Bihar is led by Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, in reality, BJP is calling the shots.

INDI Alliance in Bihar is known as Mahagathbandhan which is led by RJD under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav. There are eight political parties in the Mahagathbandhan – RJD, INC, CPI(ML)L, CPI, CPI(M), VIP, JMM, and RLJP.

There are also other important political parties in the fray which included AIMIM, the newly launched Jan Suraj Party of Prashant Kishor, BSP, AAP, and PP. Jan Suraj Party has been lately making political waves in the state in the recent past.

NDA and INDI Alliance bloc are still to finalise the seat sharing deal. Even though nominations have begun, they are struggling to seal their seat sharing deals. BJP’s Central Election Committee on Bihar will be meeting on October 12 in the party headquarters in New Delhi. Senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the meeting. NDA is expected to release its final list on October 13.

Though the BJP has said that seat-sharing talks between allies are positive, the reality is otherwise. Chirag Paswan is tight-lipped now, but he has earlier demanded 40 seats for his LJP(RV) to contest. He has finally submitted a list of 35 seats to the BJP to contest. It has been reported that BJP has offer him 26 seats. Additionally, Paswan has been offered Rajya Sabha and MLC seats in the future. JD(U) and the BJP are most likely to contest around 100 seats each. RLM led by Upendra Kushwaha is likely to settle on 10 seats, while HAM(S) led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is demanding 15 seats, with a threat that if his demand is not met, his party would not contest election at all.

As for Mahagathbandhan, RJD wants to contest as many as 130 seats while Congress is likely to field candidates on 50 seats. Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) may contest 20 seats, according to sources. Left parties – which included CPI, CPI(ML), and CPI(M) – are likely to contest on 35 seats. The CPI(ML)L is expected to get 25 seats, CPI 6 and CPI(M) 4to 5 seats. The Paras led LJP is likely to contest on two seats while Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) may finally contest on 6 seats. The Congress has been demanding 70 seats to contest. JMM has been demanding 12 seats, but it has been reported that they would like to have at least 10 seats. Left from initially had demanded 75 assembly seats. Later they demanded 70 seats – 11 for CPM, 40 for CPI(ML)L, and 19 for CPI. Talks are going on and final decision will be taken soon in the next meeting of the Mahagathbandhan constituents. RJD will have to be more realistic in seat-sharing with Mahagathbandhan partners.

Jan Suraaj Party has clearly emerged as a major political party in the state. Its founder, Prashant Kishor has said that the effort which his party began three and half years ago towards creating “a better system” in Bihar has reached the final and decisive state.

The major issues have emerged so far include undoubtedly the exclusion of the so called “Bangladeshi infiltrators” giving the entire election a communal colour with emergence of the burqa clad Muslim women voters. Election Commission of India has said on October 10 that special arrangements will be made at polling stations in Bihar for “dignified” identification of women voters in burqa or purdah. EC says, Anganwadi workers to help verify identity of burqa-clad voters at polling stations.

The other issue revolves round exclusion of Dalits, OBC, and Minority voters. The leader of Jan Suraaj Party, Prashant Kishor has said, that despite large scale exclusion of voters who were believed to supporters of non-BJP non-NDA parties and critics of the government, the voters will be able to defeat the ruling establishment.

Joblessness among youth and women have also emerged as important issues, in addition to the maladministration of the ruling NDA, that has lately launched a series of jobs and welfare schemes. Women and Youth have been vocal against the government in recent times and hence it is expected that they would be playing major role in influencing the outcome of the election this time.

Nevertheless, caste and communal factors are seen operating on the ground level. NDA led by Nitish Kumar, who has been chief minister of the state in the last two decades, has been criticizing RJD for their maladministration in the 1990s, while INDI Alliance bloc is exposing the current maladministration under NDA in the last two decades.

The ground political reality suggests that Bihar is heading towards a tough electoral battle between NDA and INDI Alliance bloc. Jan Suraj Party is likely to offer a big challenge to both the NDA and INDI bloc, and may try to secure a role for itself in government formation after the polls if no alliance gets majority. (IPA Service)