PATNA, Oct. 18 -- As many as 1,698 candidates filed their papers for the crucial first phase of the assembly elections in Bihar as the chaotic nomination process for the 121 seats, spread across 18 districts, that go to the polls on November 6 closed on Friday with no clarity over a seat deal among the constituents of the Opposition's Grand Alliance. Leaders criss-crossed the state through the day as they rushed to home districts and subdivisional offices to submit their nomination papers after the INDIA bloc appeared to have secured some rough contours of an alliance at midnight on Thursday after days of squabbling. On the final day of nomination, 1068 candidates filed nominations including actors and singer Khesari Lal Yadav (RJD), Maithali Thakur (BJP) and ministers Mangal Pandey and Prem Kumar. In an interesting twist, several candidates of Grand Alliance happened to file nominations on the same seat as chaos prevailed over the chances of alliance partners deciding the final seat-sharing pact. In the National Democratic Alliance, where the seat deal was announced a week ago but some differences remained over choice of constituencies, the nomination process was a relatively smoother affair. Close to a dozen top BJP leaders, including the chief ministers of three states and three union ministers participated in nomination rallies of the party candidates. "For the future of Bihar, the people have decided that the NDA government is necessary. If NDA remains in power, there will be peace. Development and progress will all be possible. I think NDA will get close to 200 (seats)," Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. There was no clarity at the time of going to print exactly what the break-up of seats in the Grand Alliance would look like. But On Friday, Mukesh Sahani of the Vikasheel Insan Party (VIP) announced on X that his party will contest 15 seats. The Congress named its candidates on 48 seats and filed nominations for 40 seats (both phases included) more. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which had been informally allotting its symbols to hopefuls, filed nominations in 40 seats, and the Left parties in 6 seats. "Everything will be fine, everything is running smoothly. There is no problem, " said former Chhattisgarh CM and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. The picture will become clearer on October 20, the last date of withdrawal of nomination. The second phase of the election is on November 11 and the results are on November 14. On Friday, Sahani rushed to Gaura Bouram in Darbhanga district, where he sprung another surprise --- nominating his elder brother Santosh Sahani for the contest from his home constituency. "I opted to field my brother so that I can campaign for other party candidates," said Sahani, who was demanding the Opposition bloc declare him as the deputy chief ministerial candidate in Bihar. However, leaders aware of the matter said the RJD did not agree to the demand but assured him a Rajya Sabha seat and two legislative council seats, if the alliance wins the election. "I am not keen on going to Rajya Sabha. I want to become the deputy CM after GA comes to power in Bihar," Sahani said, when asked why he opted not to contest the polls or file his nomination. Earlier in the day, Afzal Ali Khan filed his nomination with the "RJD symbol" from the same constituency, claiming to be a true soldier of party supremo Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav....