Seat-sharing pact only 'hurdle' as Cong set to back Tejashwi as CM

The Bihar Congress leadership is all but agreed on the opposition alliance settling for the name of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as chief ministerial face for the upcoming assembly elections.

- Subhash Pathak

PATNA: The leadership, though, is waiting for some formalities, like clarity on seat-sharing among all alliance partners, before going official on the CM projection.

In fact, the allocation of seats may be Congress' bargaining chip for offering Tejashwi the crown of CM.

According to sources, the meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) -- comprising all partners like RJD, Congress and Left parties -- may take place soon to clear the air.

Senior Congress leaders say there is no dispute in the INDIA bloc that Tejashwi would lead the coalition in the forthcoming state elections. But unlike RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav self-assertingly declaring Tejashwi's name for CM post, Congress leaders haven't uttered certainty on this. Neither Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru, newly appointed Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) chief Rajesh Kumar or other state notables have said anything on the subject.

Allavaru at a recent press conference had said that the Congress would remain the part of INDIA and would contest the polls together. He, however, did not meet the RJD leaders despite his extended stay in the state, which actually raised the suspicion that the Congress is reluctant to project Tejashwi as the CM face of the coalition.