Before the Bihar elections, Mukesh Sahani demanded 60 seats and distanced himself from the Grand Alliance meeting. Speculation about him switching sides has intensified following open offers from the NDA.
Bihar Politics: Amidst the election fervor in Bihar, Mukesh Sahani, the head of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), is once again in the political spotlight. While leaders from the Congress, Left parties, and other constituent parties attended the Grand Alliance meeting chaired by Tejashwi Yadav, Sahani was absent. This absence comes at a time when he has demanded 60 seats and the post of Deputy Chief Minister from the Grand Alliance.
Tejashwi's Troubles Increased by Demand for 60 Seats
Mukesh Sahani has stated clearly that if his party does not get 60 seats, they will not contest the elections. Furthermore, he has also asked for the post of Deputy CM. Such significant demands have further deepened the existing tensions within the Grand Alliance regarding seat sharing. With established constituents like the RJD, Congress, and Left parties already taking a firm stance on their respective seat shares, Sahani's demand has presented a new challenge for Tejashwi Yadav.
Sahani Seen in Delhi, Absent from Grand Alliance Meeting
While a strategic meeting of the Grand Alliance was underway in Patna, Mukesh Sahani was in Delhi. He sent the party's state president in his place for the meeting, a move that is considered laden with political signals. Is this preparation for closer ties with the NDA or simply a pressure tactic?
Open Offer Being Received from the NDA
Santosh Suman, a minister in the Nitish government and president of HAM party, has openly stated that if Mukesh Sahani is upset with the Grand Alliance, he is welcome in the NDA. He also said that only the NDA can protect the interests of the Nishad community, from which Sahani hails.
Sahani's Growing Discomfort in the Grand Alliance
Sahani's continuously increasing demands and the difficulty in fulfilling his expectations within the Grand Alliance are becoming apparent. On one hand, Tejashwi Yadav has yet to secure the approval of Congress and the Left to become the CM face of the Grand Alliance, while on the other hand, he also faces the challenge of satisfying a new ally like Sahani.
Balance Difficult for Tejashwi
It is not possible to give fewer seats to older parties like Congress, CPI, CPM, and CPI(ML) in the Grand Alliance. If Tejashwi wants to keep these parties satisfied, he will have to carve out new seats for Sahani. But in the current situation, giving even 10-15 seats, let alone 60, is not easy for Tejashwi. In such a situation, deciding on Sahani's demands could cause a political crisis for Tejashwi.
Will He Switch Sides Again?
This is not the first time Mukesh Sahani has demanded more seats and a higher position from the alliance. In the 2020 assembly elections as well, he had demanded 25 seats and the post of Deputy CM from the Grand Alliance. When this demand was not met, he left the Grand Alliance after a press conference. After that, he joined the NDA and the BJP gave him 11 seats, out of which VIP won four. Sahani himself became an MLC and also remained a minister. But later, all four of his MLAs went to the BJP and Sahani's political ground weakened.
