The Third front formation received a major setback after the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) announced that it would contest the assembly polls alone and released its first list of 23 candidates.

The Lok Janshakti Party, led by Union minister Ramvilas Paswan, will contest 190 of 243 assembly seats and leave the remaining seats its allies, the Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Bloc.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal-United reached a seat-sharing agreement under which the saffron party will contest 102 seats and the JD-U will contest the remaining 141 seats in the 243-member house.

The United Progressive Alliance partners reached a seat-sharing accord under which Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal would contest 175 seats while leaving 51 for the Congress, nine for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and eight for the Nationalist Congress Party.

However, the elections remain clouded in uncertainty. The Supreme Court is keeping open the option of reviving the previously dissolved Assembly. It said it could pass a short order before October 18 if it wants to quash the Presidential proclamation dissolving the House.

Leader of India's Lok Jankshakti Party, Ram Vilas Paswan (R) shares a light moment with party officials.
Photograph: STR/AFP/Getty Images