Alliance Formed for Bihar Elections Faces Internal Strains Amidst External Challenges
The political landscape in Bihar is heating up as the INDIA alliance, comprising RJD, Congress, Left parties, and new additions like VIP, Lok Jansakti Party (Pashupati Paras faction), and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, gears up for the upcoming elections.
The official Chief Minister candidate for the alliance has been announced as Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader who has declared himself as the chief ministerial face of the Grand Alliance. However, there has been some hesitance from the Congress leadership, which has caused a stir within the alliance.
Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister, has asserted his claim firmly, stating that his party is ready to contest all 243 seats in the Assembly on its own if required. The RJD finds support for Tejashwi's claim from allies like Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and the Left, but the Congress's silence has caused open irritation within RJD ranks.
Meanwhile, the Congress party is conducting a micro-level campaign called the "Har Ghar Yatra", focusing on districts not covered during the Voter Adhikar Yatra. Reports suggest that the Congress party may have gained more visibility from this campaign, causing open irritation within RJD ranks.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) wants Tejashwi Yadav formally declared as the Chief Ministerial candidate, and the RJD leader has anonymously stated that if the Congress continues its obstinacy, it will face public anger and heavy losses.
The seat-sharing negotiations between RJD and Congress are expected to be a significant test. Accommodating all partners will not be easy, and everyone will have to make space. The real test will come when seat-sharing negotiations begin in earnest, as the alliance will continue to walk the fine line between cooperation and confrontation until then.
The Bihar Congress Legislature Party leader, Shakeel Ahmad Khan, has stated that the yatra began on September 15 and will continue until the elections. In response, the RJD launched its own Yatra named the "Bihar Adhikar Yatra" on September 16, covering areas Tejashwi Yadav could not reach during the Voter Adhikar Yatra.
After meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Krishna Allavaru, the Congress party in-charge, stated that the choice of the Chief Minister would be decided by the people of Bihar. However, the BJP has mocked the situation, saying that Congress, often derided as RJD's junior partner in Bihar, had managed to turn RJD into its follower during the campaign.
The BJP's mockery notwithstanding, both the RJD and Congress are currently holding their own yatras (campaign tours) across Bihar. The RJD denies that its yatra was a counter to the Congress, but several reports suggest that the Congress gained significant goodwill from the Voter Adhikar Yatra, leaving the RJD rank and file uneasy.
In the 2020 Bihar election, the Grand Alliance of RJD, Congress, and Left parties fell short of a majority by just 12 seats. The alliance will be hoping to overcome this deficit in the upcoming elections, but the power struggle within the alliance could potentially derail their efforts. The elections in Bihar are shaping up to be a fascinating contest.
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