NEW DELHI: The uncertainty in the Opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) camp continues even as RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday evening.
Though the alliance is yet to seal the deal, sources said that both leaders have discussed seat-sharing arrangements ahead of the Bihar assembly polls. According to Congress insiders, the party is not ready to climb down from its demand of nothing less than 60 seats in the 243 assembly.
Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal and the party’s in-charge for Bihar, Krishna Allavaru, were present during the meeting at Kharge’s residence. Incidentally, Tejashwi and Lalu Yadav were expected to meet senior leader Rahul Gandhi in the evening. However, the meeting did not take place. Sources said that Gandhi told state leaders to stick to the demand of 60 seats and to focus on the party’s interests.
Another bone of contention is the Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), who is currently negotiating with the alliance for 30 seats. According to sources, Sahni is keeping his options open as the NDA camp has deferred its announcement of the list of candidates due to discontent among the allies. Tejashwi Yadav earlier held discussions with Allavaru and Venugopal, where Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, CLP leader in Bihar Vidhan Sabha Shakeel Ahmad Khan were also present.
The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ alliance in Bihar is likely to finalise seat-sharing in the next few days and may announce its candidates along with a joint manifesto this week. Both sides are also in a tussle over at least five seats, with each claiming it as stronghold constituencies.
On Sunday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the alliance expects all the seats to be finalised and declared in the next two-three days. “We have to adjust some new partners in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and we have to adjust them too in seat-sharing,” he said.
Sources said that the Delhi court’s framing of charges in a corruption case against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Lalu Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi, also came as a setback for the alliance.
The Congress is likely to get fewer seats than last time due to its dismal performance in the 2020 state polls.
Jan Suraaj Party’s second list of 65 candidates out
The Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founded by political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on Monday released its second list of candidates for 65 seats for the Bihar assembly elections. Kishor’s name does not figure in the list as he is expected to contest from RJD MLA Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s Raghopur constituency
