PATNA, Oct. 11 -- Congress leaders and workers in Bihar are growing increasingly frustrated with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), leading partner in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, for dragging out seat sharing negotiations for the state polls. The RJD's last-minute tactics and apparent favouritism towards smaller allies and political turncoats have left Congress in a state of uncertainty, undermining its preparations and ambitions to expand its influence in Bihar. With nominations for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections already underway, the RJD has yet to finalise seat allocations among INDIA bloc partners. A senior Congress leader said, "As the lead partner, the RJD is responsible for finalising seats in a mutually agreed manner. While other allies have been given clarity, Congress is still in the dark about the seats it will contest." This lack of transparency has fuelled tensions within the alliance, with Congress leaders accusing the RJD of deliberately sidelining them. In the 2020 assembly elections, Congress contested 70 seats but is now being nudged by the RJD to focus on just 54-55 seats-a reduction that Congress deems unacceptable. "This is not an honourable deal for a party which has a historic presence in Bihar," another senior leader remarked. The RJD's alleged preference for smaller allies like the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), which is reportedly being offered 30-40 seats despite its limited electoral base, has further irked Congress. There are also concerns that the RJD may field its candidates on the symbols of other allies, such as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), to accommodate new entrants, potentially at Congress's expense. Congress leaders point to the 2020 elections as a cautionary tale. The RJD's seat sharing decisions then forced Congress to cede traditional strongholds like Bachhwara (Begusarai) and Manjhi (Saran) to accommodate Left parties. In Manjhi, CPI(M)'s Surendra Yadav won, but in Bachhwara, CPI's Awadhesh Kumar Rai lost to BJP's Surendra Mehata. "The RJD's strategy of reallocating our strong seats weakened us last time, and we fear a repeat," a Congress leader said. This time, similar concerns are emerging. The RJD is reportedly eyeing Maharajganj in Siwan, a seat won by Congress veteran Vijay Shankar Dubey in 2020, to field Vishal Jaiswal, son of RJD MLC Vinod Jaiswal. Meanwhile, Congress is staking claims to Baniapur and Garkha in Saran and Siwan, both currently held by RJD. Additionally, the RJD's plan to field Braj Kishor Bind, a recent BJP defector, in Chainpur (Sasaram)-a seat allocated to Congress in 2020-has raised eyebrows. In Bhagalpur's Kahalgaon, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has signalled his intent to field Rajnish Yadav, son of Jharkhand minister Sanjay Yadav, on JMM symbol, sidelining Congress's Pravin Kushwaha, who has long nurtured the constituency. The VIP's growing clout within the INDIA bloc has further complicated matters. The party, led by Mukesh Sahani, is reportedly demanding to contest Patna City, a seat Congress has been eyeing. In 2020, Congress's Pravin Kushwaha contested Patna City after being denied a ticket in Bhagalpur and lost to BJP veteran Nand Kishore Yadav by 16,000 votes. Congress leader Manjit Anand Sahu, campaigning in Patna City for months, now faces the risk of being overlooked due to the RJD's apparent willingness to accommodate VIP's demands. Senior Congress leader Kishore Kumar Jha accused Tejashwi of adopting his father Lalu Prasad's playbook to weaken Congress. "The RJD has historically thrived by keeping Congress weak in Bihar. Tejashwi knows that a revitalised Congress, fuelled by Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra, could challenge his political relevance," Jha said. He urged Congress to consider contesting independently if the RJD failed to offer a "respectable" share of seats. "Congress has nothing to lose. Tejashwi must recognise our renewed strength under Rahul Gandhi's leadership and not jeopardise his own chances of becoming CM by alienating us," Jha added. According to reports, the RJD's dominance in seat sharing talks stems from its position as the largest partner in Bihar, with 75 seats in the 243-member assembly as of 2020. However, Congress's recent efforts to rebuild its base have raised expectations within the party for a larger role. Congress is said to be pushing for 60-65 seats....