INDIA bloc will form govt in Bihar, seat-sharing talks ongoing: SP's Fakhrul Hasan

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand on Sunday expressed confidence in the strength and unity of the INDIA bloc ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, stating that ongoing seat-sharing negotiations are part of the coalition’s serious commitment to forming the next government.

“Talks on seat-sharing in the INDIA bloc are ongoing because this alliance is going to form the government. We don’t want to leave any issue unresolved,” Chaand said, commenting on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s scheduled meeting in Delhi with senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

He added, “We will finalise seat-sharing soon. But when it comes to ticket distribution in the BJP-led NDA, there will be disintegration. The INDIA bloc will fight the Bihar elections strongly. This time, it will be the alliance’s government.”

The meeting between Tejashwi Yadav and Congress top brass is being seen as crucial for ironing out seat-sharing differences and aligning the Mahagathbandhan's election strategy. Tejashwi, however, maintained that there is no friction within the alliance.

“There is nothing wrong with the alliance. Everything is fine. My job promise has rattled the ruling party. What I’ve said, I will deliver. From November 14, Bihar will begin to be free from unemployment,” Tejashwi told reporters before leaving for Delhi.

Meanwhile, Chaand also took a swipe at the BJP-led NDA for its treatment of allies like Om Prakash Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), stating that their marginalisation is not new.

“SBSP has contested alone many times in Uttar Pradesh. They’ve been sidelined, perhaps because they joined the alliance from elsewhere. The same is happening in Bihar. Om Prakash Rajbhar is not getting seats where even his son lost. BJP doesn't respect its allies,” Chaand remarked, adding that this internal conflict within the NDA is of no concern to the Samajwadi Party.

As the Mahagathbandhan continues to negotiate, the INDIA bloc leaders are working to present a united front in Bihar, aiming to mount a serious challenge in the upcoming polls.

--IANS

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