New Delhi, Jan. 5: The Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, both of which are eyeing the chief minister?s chair, opened tough seat-sharing negotiations today. Talks between the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal remain deadlocked.

Amid these developments, Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan has offered the Bihar chief minister?s post to the Congress, which stumped the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party by snatching the same post in Maharashtra even though it had won fewer seats. Also last year, a Congress leader became chief minister in Karnataka where the party has formed a government in alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular).

In Jharkhand, the Congress is eyeing 50 seats out of 81 while the JMM wants 45.

In Bihar, a desperate Paswan has offered the Congress the chief ministership without being asked so long as it dumps Laloo Prasad Yadav and allies with the LJP, which is also trying to rope in the Janata Dal (United). The LJP chief, trying to convert the Bihar polls into a secularism versus secularism contest to wean Muslim voters away from the RJD, said: ?Let the Congress take the chief ministership. The post is not a big thing. When Sonia Gandhi sacrificed the Prime Minister?s post, why can?t a person sacrifice the chief minister?s post.?

Negotiations for Jharkhand have proved more difficult with JMM chief and Union coal minister Shibu Soren reportedly threatening to quit the cabinet if his party is not offered the chief ministership.