Patna: As seat-sharing negotiations within the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) continue, the Congress party has shifted focus to finalizing its list of candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The party is reportedly in the final stages of selecting nominees for constituencies where multiple contenders were initially under consideration.
On Friday, the party’s screening committee held a detailed online meeting from Delhi to discuss candidate applications and constituency performance. The meeting, which began at 11 a.m. and continued until 8 p.m., also reviewed seats where Congress had emerged victorious in the previous assembly elections.
Bihar in-charge Krishna Allawaru, state Congress president Rajesh Ram, and legislative party leader Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Khan participated in the meeting virtually from Patna, along with several other senior leaders.
According to party sources, the applications received from potential constituencies were re-screened, and detailed deliberations were held before finalizing probable candidates. So far, around 36 names have been shortlisted, and these candidates are almost certain to receive the party symbol, sources added.
Five Sitting MLAs Under Review
The screening committee also discussed the performance of five sitting MLAs from Buxar, Maharajganj, Rajapakar, Bhagalpur, and Muzaffarpur. Sources indicated that the party leadership is dissatisfied with the performance of these legislators. However, rather than immediately replacing them, Congress is reportedly considering whether to give them another opportunity to contest.
Announcement Expected in Two Phases
Congress insiders said that the seat-sharing formula within the Grand Alliance is likely to be finalized in a day or two. Once the formula is made public, the party is expected to announce its first list of candidates for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections. The second-phase list will likely be released after October 15.
Party leaders maintained that the Congress is aiming to field candidates with stronger grassroots connections and electoral prospects this time to strengthen its position within the Grand Alliance.
