Top Congress leaders in Patna to hold direct talks with RJD supremo Lalu Yadav on seat sharing

NEW DELHI: A day after the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress party finalised the names of 25 candidates for the upcoming Bihar elections, top leaders of the party landed in Patna on Thursday to hold direct talks with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav on the seat-sharing formula. According to sources, the direction to hold talks with Yadav came from senior leader Rahul Gandhi, who is currently on a four-nation visit to South America.The fresh negotiations are aimed at bargaining for more seats, though Congress had earlier settled for 57–58 seats. The party is now looking for 10 more seats, said leaders aware of the development.The leaders who met Yadav include Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh, former chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, and former Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.The party has appointed Gehlot, Baghel, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as senior observers for the Bihar Assembly elections.TNIE had on Wednesday reported that Congress may get 57 seats in the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), while it will spare two seats for the Indian Inclusive Party (IIP).Sources said that Congress decided to harden its position after the RJD reportedly allotted 28 seats to the Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).



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