Bihar's High-Stakes Election and the Seat-Sharing Puzzle

A key focus in the run-up to the polls has been the seat-sharing negotiations within the "Mahagathbandhan" or Grand Alliance (which includes parties like the RJD and Congress). The alliance leaders were set to meet to finalize their seat-sharing deal, a critical step that often determines the unity and effectiveness of a coalition against its rivals . In a parallel development, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has reportedly finalized its own arrangement, with the BJP and JD(U) each contesting 101 seats .

These elections are particularly significant because they have the potential to upend decades of political status quo in the state . While the caste arithmetic, a longstanding factor in Bihar's politics, has remained relatively static, each major player is grappling with internal and external issues. The outcome will not only shape the future of Bihar but could also have important ramifications for national politics.

Meanwhile, in a separate legal blow to RJD leader Lalu Yadav just weeks before the elections, a court has framed charges against him, his wife, and son in the IRCTC corruption case, to which he has pleaded not guilty . This adds another layer of complexity to the already intense electoral battle.