Bihar seat-sharing must balance winnable and tough constituencies, says Congress

The Congress on Wednesday (September 10, 2025) said that a balance must be maintained between “good and bad” seats while deciding on seat-sharing among mahagathbandhan allies in Bihar, and stressed that all existing constituents of the alliance must contribute from their “kitty” to accommodate new partners.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram and Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan, All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge Krishna Allavaru said the mahagathbandhan would be expanding with more constituents joining its fold.

Asked whether the Voter Adhikar Yatra had given the Congress greater bargaining power in seat sharing negotiations with the RJD and other allies, Mr. Allavaru said the mahagathbandhan had benefited from the campaign as the “vote theft” issue had reached the grassroots. However, he maintained that this should have no bearing on seat sharing.

“We have always believed that if new parties come into the alliance, then every party will have to contribute from their kitty. In every State there are good seats and bad seats [in terms of winnability] and we believe that one party should not get all the good seats and the other gets the bad ones. In the sharing of seats, there should be a balance between good and bad seats,” Mr. Allavaru said.

The remark comes amid reports that Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Pashupati Kumar Paras’ Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party are likely to join the mahagathbandhan for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

It also follows a strategy review on Bihar held on Tuesday by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi with senior party leaders.

Allegations against BJP

The main focus of the press conference, however, was the party’s attack on the BJP, accusing it of indulging in “vote chori” in collusion with the Election Commission.

Mr. Allavaru alleged that a process for “vote theft” was being followed under which “they first fix the umpires and then give the umpire the confidence that no action would be taken against them.”

“[Prime Minister] Narendra Modi and [Home Minister] Amit Shah have advanced ‘vote theft’ in the country as part of a well-thought-out conspiracy. First, Narendra Modi changed the process of selecting the Election Commissioner. In this, the Chief Justice was removed and the Home Minister was included in the process. Then, a change was made in the law so that no action could be taken against the Election Commissioner,” he alleged.

He further claimed tampering in the electoral roll, “the truth of which has been laid bare before the entire country.”

Mr. Allavaru said “vote chori” was an issue for every citizen, accusing the “vote theft government” of being indifferent to matters such as inflation, unemployment, education, health, migration, crime, and paper leaks.

“‘Vote chori’ is the root of every problem faced by the public. Therefore, if the situation in Bihar is to change, the government must be changed,” he asserted.