A problem of plenty for Congress in Bihar now

The Congress’ resounding electoral victory in three states is posing a problem of plenty for its unit in Bihar. Leaders from rival BJP, JDU, NCP and RJD are vying to join the Congress, which has become a favourite with politicians in the state who are unhappy with their current party.

These politicians have also been excited by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s reiteration at a rally in Patna on Sunday that his party is going to play on the front foot in Bihar too after UP.

But unlike UP, where the Congress is struggling to induct new leaders, in Bihar it has got too many requests from aspiring Congressmen. This is in stark contrast to the situation a year ago, when Congress was struggling to find a state unit president in Bihar.

Among the politicians lining up to join Congress are former test cricketer Kirti Azad and film star Shatrughan Sinha, both sitting BJP MPs, former BJP MP Uday Singh, independent MLA from Mokama in Bihar, Anant Singh, and Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav.

On Saturday, JDU leader Rishi Mishra, a grandson of former Union minister L N Mishra, joined Congress. Earlier, former MP Lovely Anand, wife of jailed don-turned-politician Anand Mohan, and NCP leader Tariq Anwar had joined Congress.

Most of these leaders are from the upper castes. Rishi Mishra and Kirti Azad are Brahmins, Uday Singh and Lovely Anand are Rajputs, Anant Singh is a Bhumihar and Shatrughan Sinha is a Kayasth.

This sudden surge of upper caste leaders vying to join Congress has made its allies in Bihar uncomfortable. RJD, the main ally of Congress in Bihar, feels that such an upper caste projection will confuse RJD’s core OBC and Dalit supporters.

Another challenge is seat-sharing as all these leaders are keen to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

MLA Anant Singh has already announced his candidature from Munger Lok Sabha seat. Munger was contested by RJD in the alliance. Sources told ETthat RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has finally agreed to accommodate Singh from Munger, said people aware of the matter. Besides, Lovely Anand wants to contest from Sheohar, a seat allocated to RJD within the ‘grand alliance’, while Azad is willing to contest from Darbhanga, a seat that at least two other parties in the alliance are claiming— RJD and Mukesh Sahni-led Vikasshil Insan Party (VIP). There is already a verbal feud on between Azad and Sahni.

JAP leader Pappu Yadav too has come out openly in support of Congress and played an important role in organising Gandhi’s rally in Patna. Yadav wants to fight from Madhepura, a seat on which former JDU leader Sharad Yadav also has his eyes set on.

There is, however, no problem with Shatrughan Sinha and Uday Singh as both want to contest from seats that came in the Congress quota in 2014.