Sahani's dy CM, 60-seat remarks stir unease in GA
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Patna: Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani has reignited political controversy by asserting that he would become deputy chief minister if the Mahagathbandhan were to come to power in Bihar.
He also reiterated his party's demand for 60 seats in the upcoming state assembly elections, adding that "a few less would hardly matter".
In a television interview, Sahani went a step further and said, "If Prime Minister Narendra Modi grants reservation to the Nishad caste before the election, I will not hesitate to give my life for him."
Sahani's remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Mahagathbandhan ally Congress, which called the statement premature and urged RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who heads the alliance's coordination committee, to intervene.
AICC media panellist and former MLC Premchand Mishra said, "Sahani's statement is premature. He is a part of the Grand Alliance and, instead of saying anything about BJP-JD(U), he makes baseless allegations against the Congress. This is not acceptable."
Mishra reminded Sahani of the coordination committee's prior decision that internal matters such as seat-sharing should not be aired in the media.
Despite this, Sahani insisted the seat-sharing formula was "almost 90% done."
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Citing his ambition to become "leader of the extremely backward community after former CM Karpoori Thakur," he justified the VIP's claim to 60 seats, saying the Nishad community accounts for 12% of the vote.
Sahani's political journey has been marked by shifting alliances. He campaigned for the BJP in 2015, contested the 2019 and 2024 general elections with the Mahagathbandhan and later rejoined the NDA.
However, seat-sharing in the opposition alliance remains unresolved.
Political observers recall how Sahani walked out of a Grand Alliance press conference during the last election over similar disputes.
In 2020, the RJD won 75 out of the 148 seats it contested. The Mahagathbandhan narrowly missed a majority, securing 110 seats (37.6% vote share), compared to the NDA's 125 seats (37.9%). The Congress contested 70 seats but won only 19, while the CPI(ML) had the best strike rate, winning 12 of 19. The three Left parties collectively won 16 seats and are pressing for a greater share this time.
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