Is Mukesh Sahani Exiting Bihar Elections to Strengthen INDIA Bloc?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mukesh Sahani's withdrawal aims to unite the INDIA Bloc.
- Seat-sharing discussions are ongoing within the alliance.
- Sahani's focus is on Bihar state politics, not national ambitions.
- The INDIA Bloc consists of multiple significant parties.
- There is uncertainty surrounding the seat-sharing formula.
Patna, Oct 17 (NationPress) As the dates for the Bihar Assembly elections are revealed, the seat-sharing disputes within the INDIA Bloc have escalated.
On Friday, Mukesh Sahani, the head of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), made an unexpected announcement, revealing his decision not to participate in the Assembly elections this year.
Sahani made this declaration while supporting his brother, Santosh Sahani, who submitted his nomination papers for the Gaura Bauram Assembly constituency in Darbhanga.
After the nomination was filed, Sahani shared with the media, stating that his main objective is to facilitate the formation of a government for the INDIA Bloc in Bihar.
“I will not be contesting the elections this time. Our aim is to establish our government in Bihar and campaign across all 243 constituencies. I will dedicate myself to assist the INDIA Bloc in winning as many seats as possible. Once we form the government, my ambition is to serve as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, rather than seeking a position in the Rajya Sabha,” Sahani expressed.
He added that the details regarding the seat-sharing agreement within the INDIA Bloc would be finalized shortly, with announcements expected in the next day or two.
Internal party sources indicated that the VIP has been allocated 15 seats as part of this alliance.
Although a Rajya Sabha seat and two MLC seats were reportedly offered to the party, Sahani chose not to comment, emphasizing his commitment to state-level politics.
Sahani’s announcement seems to have alleviated tensions within the INDIA Bloc regarding seat allocation, as speculation surrounding his potential candidacy from Gaura Bauram has been dispelled.
The INDIA Bloc in Bihar includes RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI, CPIM, and VIP.
Even though the first phase of nominations is complete, the official announcement of the seat-sharing formula is still pending, resulting in uncertainty surrounding various constituencies in Bihar.
This confusion within the Grand Alliance stems from the Congress' steadfast demand to contest up to 70 seats in the upcoming elections.