Bihar: Congress Fails to Learn Lessons, Demands More Seats from RJD
New Delhi: At a time when the BJP and the JD(U) are consolidating their alliance in Bihar ahead of impending Assembly polls, all is not well between the Congress and the RJD. Refusing to learn any lesson from its electoral defeats in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi, the Congress continues to flex its muscle with its leader planning to demand a “respectable” number of seats from the RJD. The party will be holding a meeting with its Bihar leader, following which it will hold seat-sharing talks with the RJD.
Newly appointed Congress state in-charge Krishna Allavaru visited Patna earlier this week and met up with the Bihar leadership. He emphasised the importance of unity and grassroots outreach, urging members to focus on connecting with voters at the booth and village levels.
Speaking on the possibility of Congress contesting the Bihar Assembly elections independently, similar to its approach in Delhi, Mr Allavaru indicated that the party is in the process of formulating its electoral strategy for the state. He made it clear that only those who work hard on the ground will get organisational positions and election tickets. He has also issued a strict warning to the party leaders that factionalism and groupism will not be tolerated by the party.
Sources say that the Congress Bihar unit cadres want the party to start strengthening itself from grassroots levels instead of relying on the RJD for support. Speaking to this paper on the condition of anonymity, a senior state leader said, “We are increasingly being perceived as the B-team of the RJD. We have to focus on party building instead of relying on the RJD. Even if it takes more time, the party needs to be strengthened.”
Many in the party feel that when seat-sharing talks take place, the Congress gets a rough deal from the RJD. The seats that are given to the Congress do not favour the party. This time the Congress should draw a hard bargain.
During the last Assembly elections, the Congress contested 70 seats and won only 17. The RJD, which contested 144 seats, won 72. Some of the Congress leaders have been pointing fingers at the RJD, claiming that “the RJD gave most of the losing seats” to the Congress.
Assembly elections in Bihar are due in October-November this year.
