Key Points

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rai struck an optimistic note, stating, "Everything is positive."

Earlier, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi shared a cryptic post on X, seemingly expressing his disappointment with NDA seat-sharing talks.

"Ho nyaay agar to aadha do, yadi usme bhi koi baadha ho, to de do kewal 15 gram, rakho apni dharti tamaam, HAM wahi khushi se khayenge, parijan pe asi na uthayenge," the post read.

However, Manji told ANI, "We have no dispute with any party. We're demanding enough seats to be recognised in the Bihar Assembly. We want our party to be recognised. This is our main demand."

Meanwhile, in Mahagathbandhan, Congress leader Tariq Anwar said that the seat-sharing arrangement within the opposition's Mahagathbandhan for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections will be finalised soon.

"Our coordination committee is holding continuous meetings, and I hope all the seat-sharing will be finalised between today and tomorrow. The exact seat-sharing will be finalised," Anwar told ANI.

Commenting on the ruling NDA's leadership, Anwar said there appeared to be confusion as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had not been declared the alliance's chief ministerial face, despite several visits to the state by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The NDA and the Prime Minister have not yet declared Nitish Kumar as the Chief Ministerial candidate. The Prime Minister has visited Bihar several times, but even in Nitish Kumar's presence, he did not confirm that Nitish Kumar will be our CM candidate. Therefore, there is confusion," he said.

He added that within the Mahagathbandhan, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav was functioning as the alliance leader.

"From our side, it is clear that Tejashwi Yadav is acting as the leader of our alliance and has assumed responsibility. The coordination committee will decide whether we should contest the elections with a face or without one," he added.

The NDA led by the BJP and JD(U) will be up against the INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, the Congress, the CPI (ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the CPI, the CPM, and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). The new entrant, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, has also staked claims on all 243 seats of the state.

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections. The 243 Assembly seats will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on November 14.

- ANI