With the Grand Alliance yet to solve the Bihar seat-sharing mess as the filing of nominations for the first phase ends today, it has a VIP-sized problem on its hands, quite literally. The Mukesh Sahani-led VIP (Vikassheel Insaan Party), which nearly walked out of the alliance on Thursday, has staked claim to 15 specific constituencies and demanded that he be declared the deputy chief ministerial candidate.

Sources said Sahani, who joined the Grand Alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls after ditching the NDA, initially demanded as many as 60 seats. He later scaled it down to 40, and then 20 seats. He is now ready to settle for 15.

However, Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is reluctant to offer Sahani more than 12 seats. Moreover, Sahani's push for for the deputy

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