When the candidates and their supporters should have been out in their respective constituencies campaigning, they were instead camping in the state capital, Patna. Their main stop: party offices and their leaders’ residences. The reason? Alliance talks dragging into the final hours before the announcement of candidate lists. With the last date of nomination for the first phase of polls just around the corner, October 17, anxiety was rising across parties and hopeful candidates alike.

The BJP was first off the mark, releasing its initial list of 71 candidates for the Bihar polls, even as last-minute negotiations continued among NDA partners. The allies had agreed on a seat-sharing formula, with the BJP and JD(U) contesting 101 seats each, the LJP (Ram Vilas) on 29, and HAM and RLM six eac

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