Updated: October 13, 2020 9:46:39 am
Tej Pratap posted this photo on Facebook, “of receiving the RJD symbol for Hasanpur seat” from mother Rabri Devi, adding “Miss You Papa”. He fought for the last time since Mahua.
More than a week after the RJD and Congress announced a pact to share seats for the Bihar Assembly elections, the parties have yet to reveal the full list of seats they will contest, leading to confusion and growing resentment in the ranks of Congress.
So far, Congress has announced candidates for 21 seats, but most top leaders have no idea of the rest of the constituencies the party will contest, prompting many to wonder about the reason for the unusual secrecy. Several mid-level leaders claim that the RJD has been successful in granting Congress “difficult” seats.
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“We focus on the numbers… we insist on 70 seats. But the quality of the seats we have been given… at least that’s what I’ve heard since I haven’t seen the full list… it’s doubtful. I have been told that the seats where the RJD has strong candidates have been filled by him. I don’t know why the list has been kept secret, ”said a senior leader.
For example, the sources said, Congress is ready to win Supaul’s seat. The state energy minister, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, is the MLA in office from here, having won in 2015 as a candidate of the JD (U) who was then with the RJD and Congress. In 2010, when Yadav also won, the RJD had contested the seat and was second and Congress third. “It’s a tough seat for us,” said a congressional leader.
Similarly, leaders say Bihariganj’s seat in Madhepura will come to Congress. RJD ranked second in that seat in 2010. In 2015, it moved to JD (U) as part of the seat-sharing agreement. “Our candidate, senior leader Ranjeet Ranjan, came third in 2010,” said one leader, adding: “There is speculation that Sharad Yadav’s daughter could compete from there.” With Sharad Yadav floating a party of his own (he announced plans to contest 51 seats on his own, Monday) that would further divide the votes.
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Another leader said: “I have been told that the reserved seat of Sonbarsa is being given to Congress. We had gotten less than 11,000 votes there in 2010. The candidate from the RJD-LJP alliance had come second. “
On the other hand, Alamnagar in the same district, where Congress had finished second in 2010 and where he imagines his chances, is likely to go to the RJD.
There is already a lot of resentment in Congress over Bachhwara’s seat going to the CPI. The seat had been won in 2015 by veteran congressional leader Ramdeo Rai, who died last month. The leadership of Congress had promised his son the seat.
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The Digha seat from where the president of the state Youth Congress, Gunjan Patel, wanted to compete, went to another ally, CPI (ML).
One leader said the fact is that each day of silence makes things worse. “One day we are told that the Govindganj headquarters in Motihari will come to Congress. One day it is said that the RJD will dispute it ”.
Once its problems with partners are resolved, Congress will have internal problems to resolve. Recently, party workers sat in a dharna at the Congress headquarters on the decision to give Gajanand Shahi the Barbigha ticket. There have been protests with slogans such as “Stop ticket sales.”
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