Opposition Grand Alliance Divided Ahead of Bypolls in Bihar

Patna: Opposition Grand Alliance has not learnt any lesson after being routed in 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Bihar, as alliance partners are divided to take on ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming by-elections for five Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in the state.

Unlike NDA, whose key constituents Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) or JD-U seems to have amicably agreed upon the seat-sharing formula for bypolls, the opposition parties—Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Rashtriya Loktantrik Samta Party (RLSP) and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP)—will not be united for the bypolls.

In the general election conducted earlier this year, the NDA had won 39 of 40 seats in the state, while only Congress had managed to win the Kishanganj seat.

RJD, the major ally of the Grand Alliance on Wednesday announced names of three candidates it would field from three Assembly seats in the bypolls. This decision has reportedly angered former CM and HAM Chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, as he had declared last week itself that his party would contest byelections from Nathnagar Assembly seat in Bhagalpur district. RJD’s decision to contest from Simri Bakhtiyarpur seat in bypolls has also upset VIP chief Mukesh Sahni, popularly known as the son of Mallah, as his party, too, will be contesting from the same seat.

RJD has finalised the name of Rabia Khatoon as its candidate from Nathnagar seat without consulting Manjhi, seniormost leader of the Grand Alliance and HAM spokesperson Danish Rizwan said. After RJD declared name of its candidate on its own, Manjhi has got support of another ally VIP to field HAM candidate from the Nathnagar seat, he added. In return, HAM will support VIP in byelection for the Simri Bakhtiyarpur seat.

RJD has left one Assembly seat—Kishanganj—and one Lok Sabha seat—Samastipur—in the byelections for its ally Congress.

Senior RJD leader, Shivanand Tiwary, told NewsClick: “There is nothing unusual in it [its decision]. The party had won these seats in the last Assembly polls; so, RJD will contest from these seats.”

RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said allies should have patience for by-elections, as final match is in the next year. He downplayed reports of widening differences in the Grand Alliance and ruled out any chances of split.

RJD leaders admitted that the party, which is Bihar’s main opposition party, is passing through a difficult time after its rout in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the absence of party Chief Lalu Prasad. With Prasad still behind bars, RJD is looking for some fresh oxygen and the party’s decision to contest four assembly seats in byelections is a part of its strategy.

“Party is confident of retaining all four seats,” a party leader said. The RJD had failed to win even one seat in the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar, for the first time since the party was formed 26 years ago.