Patna,(BiharTimes): By agreeing to contest 100, 100 and 40 seats respectively the Janata Dal (United), RJD and Congress have no doubt shown that they are now ready to go for electoral battle. They have certainly scored over the NDA where seat-sharing is yet to be announced, not to speak of chief ministerial candidate. Two days after the joint Press conference of chief minister Nitish Kumar, RJD supremo, Lalu Prasad, and Congress leader C P Joshi, LJP leader Chirag Paswan on Friday met BJP chief Amit Shah and party's Bihar incharge, Bhupendra Yadav.

Apparently, things might have been smooth within the grand alliance, but one thing is clear it is not only Lalu Prasad, who had to taka a cup of poison, even Nitish had to do the same. The party which won 115 seats in the 2010 Assembly election--its tally increased to 118 after the by-poll--had to contest only 100 seats this time. In contrast Lalu Prasad's party is contesting in 100 when it won only 22 in 2010---the strength increased to 25 after last year's by-poll.

The Congress, which could win only four seats in 2010 got disproportionately high seats--40 this time.

In that way the JD(U) has to make a big compromise in exchange for the post of chief minister. It seems that RJD, which initially deman ded as high as 143 seats, at least succeeded in getting its pound of flesh.

The problem with JD(U) is that as per the March last trust vote there are only 97 MLAs left with it. So Nitish had to agree to 100 seats. The party contest 141 seats in 2010 against 91 by its the then ally, the BJP.

RJD contest 168 seats in alliance with the LJP, which put up its candidates in the rest.

But now the same LJP is with the BJP and RJD with JD(U).

More than RJD and JD(U) it is the Congress which managed to get disproportionately high share this time. "The party may even find it difficult to get 40 strong candidates to contest," commented a political observer. But if it managed to win substantial number of seats in alliance with these two parties it would be a big boost to the 130 year old party which has virtually been decimated.

Analysts are of the view that both Nitish and Lalu have realized their limitations. They know that if they did not join hands this time they would be finished. So just after the joint Press conference, they jointly addressed the EBC Mahasammelan on Thursday and a gathering of Tanti caste on Friday.

Before the August 30 Swabhiman rally in Patna they are likely to share dais several times. They may go for election campaign jointly too.