PATNA, Oct. 14 -- With just weeks to go before Bihar's high-stakes assembly elections and only a week left for nominations to be filed, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc or the Opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance is grappling with a persisting impasse over seat distribution, even as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised its formula and smaller parties gear up for a fractured contest. Late on Monday evening, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav met Congress leaders general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal and the party's in-charge for Bihar, Krishna Allavaru, in New Delhi. However, there was no word whether the stalemate was broken. At the heart of the deadlock, according to insiders, is the RJD's firm stance against allocating more than 55 seats to its key partner, the Congress, which is pushing for at least 60 in the 243-member assembly. Sources within the alliance reveal that the Congress has already screened over 70 constituencies, shortlisting candidates and awaiting a breakthrough to announce its lineup. "The list will come out after finalisation of the seat-sharing. "Our effort is to ensure a good Government for the people of the people of Bihar. So the alliance should not suffer a loss and Bihar should benefit," AICC in-charge for Bihar, Krishna Allavaru, told reporters earlier on Monday. Compounding the tensions, Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) is insisting on 20-25 seats, while the Left parties - including the CPI(ML) - have begun issuing party symbols to candidates on a handful of constituencies earmarked by the RJD. This early ticket distribution risks further complicating negotiations, as the CPI(ML) and other Left allies are said to be locking in nominees without a broader agreement. The Mahagathbandhan, comprising the RJD, Congress, VIP, and Left parties, has been holding frantic huddles to bridge the gaps. Discussions spilled over to Delhi, where RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence on Monday evening. The closed-door talks, attended by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Allavaru, focused on reconciling competing claims over stronghold seats. Earlier, Tejashwi held preliminary consultations with Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan. Tejashwi's presence in the national capital was not limited to alliance-building; he and his father, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, had rushed to Delhi on Sunday amid mounting legal pressures from the ongoing land-for-jobs scam case. Meetings have also been convened at the homes of Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress Parliamentary Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, underscoring the high-level intervention needed to salvage the pact. A section of INDIA bloc leaders remains optimistic, believing a formula could be sealed in the next day or two, potentially paving the way for a joint manifesto announcement this week. Congress leaders are growing restless. "We have full faith in our leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav. We request that they finalise and announce seat-sharing arrangement as soon as possible," urged party MP Manoj Kumar. His colleague, Pramod Tiwari, took a swipe at NDA chief Nitish Kumar, quipping, "I sympathise with Nitish Kumar; he was not supposed to become the Chief Minister, and now he will not even be able to become an LoP either... They gave 101 seats to Nitish Kumar. The CM will be from the Mahagathbandhan." In stark contrast, the NDA has moved decisively. On Sunday, it unveiled its seat-sharing blueprint: the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) will each contest 101 seats-a historic parity for the two -while Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) gets 29, and smaller allies Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) secure six each. The deal, hammered out amid Nitish Kumar's bid for a record fifth term, comes just days before nominations for the first phase opened on October 10. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday notified the second phase of polling, set for November 6 and 11 across 121 seats, with results due on November 14. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party upped the ante by releasing its second candidate list today, covering 65 seats-including 19 reserved (18 SC and 1 ST) and 46 general constituencies-positioning itself as a wildcard in Bihar's polarised politics. As the filing deadline looms, the Mahagathbandhan's delay could cede ground to the NDA's momentum and Jan Suraaj's aggressive outreach. With the electorate eyeing a change after the RJD's 75 seats and Congress's meagre 19 from 70 contested in 2020, the opposition's unity hangs in the balance. For now, the countdown to a deal-or a damaging split-intensifies....