Congress finalises 23 candidates amid seat strain with Bihar allies

New Delhi: As allies RJD and CPI(ML) press the Congress to accept fewer than the 70 seats it contested in Bihar last time, the party's central election committee (CEC) on Wednesday is learnt to have finalised candidates for around 23 Assembly seats, including most of its 17 sitting MLAs.

"The meeting cleared around 23 candidates, covering most of our sitting seats and a few others the party is certain to contest. The discussions spanned constituencies across both phases of the election," a source said after the CEC meeting.

While allies have pointed to the Congress' poor strike rate in the last election-winning only 17 of the 70 seats it contested-party emissaries have been pushing to retain the same number, arguing that Rahul Gandhi's recent 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' has strengthened the party in the state.

Bihar Congress campaign committee chairman Akhilesh Prasad Singh told reporters, "The CEC meeting focused on seats going to polls in the first phase. Seat-sharing arrangements will be announced once all parties decide. In the Mahagathbandhan, everything is progressing smoothly."