"We have decided to contest as many seats as possible. We will take a decision and come back to you in a day or two," senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde told media persons in New Delhi [Images].

All-India Congress Committee secretary Iqbal Singh, in-charge of Bihar, said leaving three seats to Congress was not acceptable. Shinde, the in-charge of the Central Screening Committee of Bihar said, "They have left just three seats. Our workers are in so much anger. We were ready with a list of eleven candidates."

Asked whether this would lead to a division of secular votes in the state, Shinde said that Congress has been "very co-operative" from the beginning but somehow it has not clicked.

"There is a lot of pressure on the party and our workers are saying we should contest as many seats as possible. We have to keep the sentiments of our workers in mind. How can we show our face to them if we do not contest more seats," Shinde added.