NEW DELHI, Oct. 9 -- The Opposition Grand Alliance is close to striking a final seat arrangement deal and is considering appointing three deputy chief ministers -- one each from the Dalit, Muslim and extremely backward classes communities-if it comes to power in Bihar after the assembly elections, senior RJD and Congress leaders said on Wednesday. The Grand Alliance's de-facto chief ministerial face is Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, who hails from a backward community and has served as deputy CM twice, though his allies are yet to formally back him for the chair. He will face off against chief minister Nitish Kumar of the National Democratic Alliance, which also has two deputy CMs-Samrat Chaudhary (OBC) and Vijay Kumar Sinha (Bhumihar). RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said that the seat-sharing formula being finalised - with RJD expected to contest around 125, which is 19 seats fewer than 143 seats contested in 2020 seats, Congress 50-55, and the Left about 25 - will be accompanied by the deputy CM promise. The remaining seats will be divided among other alliance partners like VIP, LJP (led by Ramvilas Paswan's brother Pashupati Kumar Paras) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. "This formula is a clear indication that Tejashwi Yadav has emerged as the coalition's undisputed chief ministerial face. This is his masterstroke to rebrand the RJD's legacy, where he wants to move beyond the perception of Yadav-centric politics to something more layered - one that brings Dalits, EBCs and minorities into visible power," he said. Praveen Singh Kushwaha of the Congress said that the proposed three-deputy CM formula underscored Rahul Gandhi's effort to temper dominance with inclusivity. "The symbolic decision is an effort to reclaim the narrative of social justice in a more plural form," he said. VIP spokesperson Dev Jyoti said that this formula reflects the farsightedness of Tejashwi Yadav. "Latest by Thursday evening, Tejashwiji will be declared as chief ministerial candidate of alliance and one of his deputies will be our leader Mukesh Sahni," he said. To be sure, it is unusual for a party or outfit to make decisions about deputy CM appointments before the elections. The RJD has not won an election on its own in 20 years and the Grand Alliance felt agonisingly short of the majority mark in a close election five years ago as smaller communities silently mobilised against Yadav grassroots dominance. Ram Pukar Sharma, the general secretary and spokesperson of Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha, said that all leaders of mahagathbandhan are specialists of making air castles. "They know that their alliance will not even reach to three digits, but they are making announcements. They must also declare the names of their council of ministers," he said. Anil Kumar Singh of the Jan Suraaj Party called it a "fake message" ahead of the elections and practically impossible....