Lok Sabha election 2024: RJD to contest 26 seats in Bihar, Congress 9 as INDIA seals seat-sharing deal

Bihar: The Mahagathbandhan alliance in Bihar announced its sseat-sharing formula on Friday, with the RJD to contest 26 of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats. These 26 seats include Pataliputra, Hajipur, Siwan, Sheohar, Purvi Champaran, Purnia, Supaul, Gaya, Nawada, Jahanabad, Aurangabad, Buxar, Jamui, Banka, Valmiki Nagar, Munger, Sitamarhi, Vaishali, Saran, Darbhanga, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Ujiarpur, Araria, Madhepura and Jhanjharpur.

The Congress will field its candidates on nine seats in Bihar including Kishanganj, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, West Champaran, Patna Sahib, Sasaram and Maharajganj. Lok Sabha elections for the 40 seats in Bihar will be held in seven phases on April 19, 26, May 7, 13, 20, 25, and June 1. Votes will be counted on June 4.

While the Left parties have been alloted five seats. The RJD, given the alliance, has decided to leave Nalanda, Karakat and Arrah Lok Sabha seats for the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML).

It is now clear that RJD will have a direct contest with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 10 seats, including East Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, Saran, Ujiarpur, Nawada, Pataliputra, Buxar; and has an alliance with Janata Dal-United (JDU) on 12 seats, including Valmiki Nagar, Sitamarhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Purnia, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Banka, Munger, Sheohar and Jehanabad. As far as the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-RV) is concerned, the RJD will also have a direct contest on three seats including Vaishali, Hajipur and Jamui.

The Congress party will also have a direct contest with the BJP on five seats including West Champaran, Patna Sahib, Sasaram, Maharajganj and Muzaffarpur. The party will take on the JDU on three seats including Kishanganj, Katihar and Bhagalpur. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress secured only one seat, while the RJD and Left parties failed to win any. The NDA alliance, comprising the BJP and Janata Dal (United), emerged victorious, securing 17 and 16 seats, respectively.