DISSENT WITHIN, DISCIPLINE WITHOUT: NDA ALLIES FALL IN LINE AS BIHAR HEATS UP

Bihar's political scene turned volatile on Monday as NDA allies revolted, the Grand Alliance neared a seat pact, and Lalu Yadav faced fresh court charges.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA, TIKAM SHARMA & ANAND SINGH

The political landscape in Bihar turned turbulent on Monday, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) grappling with internal discontent, the opposition Mahagathbandhan inching closer to sealing its seat-sharing pact, Jan Suraj announcing its second list of candidates, and a Delhi court framing charges against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav in the IRCTC hotel scam case -all unfolding barely weeks before the Assembly polls.

The NDA's much-touted display of unity following Sunday's simultaneous seat-sharing announcement quickly unravelled as two allies - Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)] and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) - publicly expressed resentment over being allotted only six seats each. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had announced the final allocation: BJP and Janata Dal (United) 101 seats each, Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP(RV)] 29 seats, and HAM(S) and RLM six each.