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Kutumba, long considered Congress chief Rajesh Ram’s stronghold, is witnessing a direct challenge as RJD fields former minister Suresh Paswan, who has already launched his campaign
The RJD has made it clear that Congress must first endorse Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate. (News18 Hindi/File)
Just ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, tensions have flared within the Opposition Mahagathbandhan, as Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) clash over seat-sharing and the choice of Chief Ministerial candidate.
The flashpoint of the growing discord is the Kutumba (reserved) Assembly seat in Aurangabad, where the RJD has announced a candidate against Congress state president Rajesh Ram, intensifying tensions between the two allies.
The Kutumba seat has become a key test of the Mahagathbandhan‘s unity. The RJD’s decision to field a candidate against Congress here has further strained the already delicate ties between the two parties.
Dispute Over Chief Minister Face Brings Alliance Talks To A Standstill
According to sources, Krishna Allavaru, Congress’s in-charge for Bihar, has demanded at least 61 seats from the RJD. The RJD has made it clear that Congress must first endorse Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate before any further talks on seat-sharing can continue, sources said.
The condition has further deepened tensions between the two parties, stalling discussions entirely. The deadlock has now spilled onto the ground, with both sides fielding candidates against each other in several constituencies.
Kutumba Emerges As A Battle Of Prestige
Kutumba is a traditional stronghold of Congress state president Rajesh Ram, who is set to file his nomination. However, the RJD has decided to field former minister Suresh Paswan against him, with Paswan already launching his campaign in the area. According to political experts, Congress sees this move as a direct challenge to its leadership.
Deepens Strains Within Mahagathbandhan
Sources indicate that if the RJD goes ahead with fielding its candidate in Kutumba, it could further widen the rift within the Opposition alliance. According to sources, the Bihar Congress has reported the issue to the Delhi high command, but the central leadership has declined to intervene, leaving the state unit to make its own decision.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has already announced its intention to contest six seats independently.
Nominations for the second phase of Bihar Assembly elections are currently open, with the deadline for submissions falling on Monday. In this phase, voting will take place in 122 assembly constituencies spread across 20 districts on November 11.
Bihar, India, India
October 20, 2025, 10:54 IST
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