PATNA: The Grand Alliance, led by the RJD and Congress, suffered a major setback after senior Congress leader Parshuram Tiwary resigned from the party on Thursday.
Tiwary's resignation came in protest against the nomination of RJD leader Ajit Singh from the Ramgarh assembly seat for the upcoming bypoll in Bihar.
Tiwary, who has been associated with the Congress for nearly two decades, expressed his displeasure with the nomination of Ajit Singh, the son of RJD state president Jagadanand Singh.
The Ramgarh seat became vacant after Jagadanand Singh's other son, Sudhakar Singh, was elected to the Lok Sabha.
Tiwary, who had twice contested unsuccessfully from Ramgarh, submitted his resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. In his letter, Tiwary alleged that the Congress had become "a puppet in the hands of Lalu Prasad’s RJD" in Bihar.
"Both the Congress and RJD in the state are being run by people who favour 'parivarwad' (dynastic politics). Under such circumstances, it is not possible to work with the party. Though I have been with the Congress for more than two decades, I no longer see a future for the party," Tiwary said.
Tiwary is not alone in his discontent.
Earlier, Asitnath Tiwary, a Congress spokesperson, resigned from theparty. He was reportedly dissatisfied with the functioning of the state unit.
"Dedicated party workers are feeling dejected. There is no one to address their grievances. Those in charge are more concerned with their own prospects and promoting family members," Asitnath Tiwary was quoted as saying.
Parshuram Tiwary's resignation, coming just ahead of the Ramgarh bypoll, could prove costly for the Grand Alliance candidate Ajit Singh, who resigned from the JD(U) to join the RJD and secure a ticket for the bypoll.
The by-elections are scheduled to be held in four seats—Ramgarh, Tarari, Belganj, and Imamganj—all located in the Magadh and Shahabad regions of Bihar.