NEW DELHI/PATNA: Citing that delay in a seat-sharing arrangement among Grand Alliance partners for the LS polls had affected the party, the Congress’ Bihar unit on Thursday urged senior leader Rahul Gandhi to ensure that the party has time to plan for the state election.
Polls are due in October -November in Bihar but the EC is yet to take a final call. Rahul interacted with leaders, party office bearers and workers/volunteers through video conference. In 2019, seat-sharing formula was negotiated till a week or so before the first phase of LS polling. Seats kept changing and Congress candidates had no time to reach out to voters.
“We want those things are finalised soon so that there is clarity. The central leadership should negotiate hard as a majority of allies don’t want to contest under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav as CM face,” said a leader. However, Shaktisinh Gohil, party in charge, Bihar denied any discussion on seat sharing. The focus was on contesting election with a positive agenda of providing good governance to the people who were suffering tremendously due to the unchecked spread of coronavirus and devastating floods, he said.
During the meeting, Rahul underlined that the situation at the border with China was worrisome and that India’s integrity and security was of prime concern to him right since the beginning of this unprecedented Chinese offensive in Ladakh.
He pointed out that there was a time when Bihar held a place of pride nationally. But utter disregard of governance and disregard of people-centric policies, Rahul pointed, had led to a situation where the state and its people are forced into extreme sufferings and were looking forward to positive change, something that the Congress could provide.