While the Election Commission has announced the dates for the Bihar Assembly elections, the two alliances in the state — the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Mahagathbandhan — are struggling to finalise their seat-sharing formula.

“We have finished talks on candidates and sent the list to Delhi. The final call will be taken by the central leadership,” says Prem Rajan Patel, a member of BJP’s poll committee.

The major challenge for the NDA is to accommodate Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awami Morcha. Manjhi has been demanding at least 20 seats, but offered less than 10. A frustrated Manjhi flew to Delhi on Sunday after his talks with Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP’s election in-charge for Bihar, failed.

“The Nitish Kumar-led JD-U and BJP are almost on the same page.

See Full Page