Rahul Gandhi, Kharge hold meeting with Bihar Congress leaders; discuss seat-sharing strategy for LS polls

New Delhi: Senior Congress functionaries from Bihar on Tuesday held discussions with the party’s central leadership on Lok Sabha election preparations with state leaders urging that they should seek from the ‘Grand Alliance’ respectable number of seats to fight.

Bihar is the 25th state unit of the Congress, which has been called to Delhi by the Congress leadership to chart out strategy for Lok Sabha elections. The Congress leadership also held meetings with Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh units on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the leadership called Andhra Pradesh leaders for discussion.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party president Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal discussed the party’s strategy and preparation with around 40 state leaders, including Bihar president Akhilesh Prasad Singh.

Sources said the state leaders insisted on seeking a “respectable number” of seats from alliance partners JD(U) and RJD. However, Rahul intervened and asked the leaders how strong their organisation is on the ground and said they should answer it before talking about seats.

Congress has a Lok Sabha seat in Bihar at present. The JD(U)-RJD combine is unlikely to give not more than 3-4 seats to the Congress, especially after its dismal performance in Assembly elections where it was given 70 seats.

Also with CPI(ML)L’s impressive performance in the Assembly elections, a couple of seats may go to the Left parties and this could further have an impact on Congress numbers.

Singh told reporters after the three-hour long meeting that they are aware that Congress will be fighting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance. He said Bihar leaders will be meeting the party National Alliance Committee on December 29 where they will be putting up their views.

Asked whether the Congress will be flexible in seat sharing, he said, “all parties will have to be flexible and only then, an alliance will be successful.”

Kharge said in a post on ‘X’, “The Grand Alliance government in Bihar is working firmly as per the expectations of the people of Bihar. We are committed to social justice. For the progress, prosperity and peace of Bihar, every Congress worker is ready to reach out to the people and live up to the aspirations of the people of Bihar.”