sNEW DELHI/PATNA, Sept. 16 -- Fissures have begun to appear within the Opposition INDIA bloc in Bihar, especially between its two key constituents - the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) - over seat-sharing arrangements and the projection of the alliance's chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming assembly polls. While the Congress, buoyed by people's response to the Rahul Gandhi-led Voter Adhikar Yatra, has pushed for 70 assembly seats - the same number it had contested in the 2020 state polls, when it managed to win only 19- in the upcoming polls slated for October-November this year, the RJD appears unwilling to concede, people familiar with the matter said. RJD patriarch and former chief minister Lalu Prasad, who has been keeping a low profile due to health concerns, has reportedly stepped in to take charge of the seat negotiations. Party insiders said he has asked the Congress to submit a list of its candidates, and made it clear that the grand old party will be allotted 50-52 seats. "The issue is not just about numbers but also about avoiding triangular contests in our base areas. If the deadlock continues, it'll be a cakewalk for our opposition (NDA)," a RJD leader said. P3...