After UP, turbulence hits grand opposition alliance in Bihar

The grand opposition alliance in Bihar is going through a difficult phase. Tension is growing among the partners, especially in the Congress after the SP and BSP snubbed it in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, over the seat-sharing formula. The state’s NDA allies — the BJP, JDU and LJP — have already reached a 17:17:6 agreement.

In the 2014 general elections, the RJD had contested 27 seats in Bihar and Congress 12. However, with the inclusion of new alliance partners, such as Upendra Kushwaha, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahni, both the parties will have to give up some seats to create space for them.

Insiders said RJD leader Lalu Prasad is not ready to give more than eight seats to the Congress and the number may go up to maximum 10. “Last time we contested 27 seats but now we will reduce our number to accommodate new partners,” an RJD leader said. “Congress will also have to do the same.”

Congress, however, is bargaining for over 12 seats. “The division should be fifty-fifty. We will adjust Kushwaha, Manjhi and Sharad ji from our quota,” a Congress leader in Delhi said.

Some analysts said if Yadav stays adamant, then the Congress may face a situation similar to UP where it has been left out of the opposition alliance between the SP and BSP.

In Bihar, however, the Congress seems to have support of partners such as Kushwaha, Manjhi and Sharad Yadav. According to people aware of the negotiations, Kushwaha’s RLSP was promised four seats — Karakat, Ujiarpur, Sitamarhi and Gopalganj — and one seat, Hazaribagh, in Jharkhand. However, after former deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav met BSP leader Mayawati in Lucknow on January 13, RJD is willing to give Gopalganj to BSP to keep Mayawati on its side, a source said. This will upset Kushwaha’s plans.

A few recent incidents have made both the Congress and RJD suspicious of each other. The Congress is unhappy over Tejashwi going to meet Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav the very next day after they signed the UP deal. Mayawati keeps attacking Congress, and the RJD leader meeting her in such a scenario sends out a different message, party leaders said.

RJD, on the other hand, is worried over the influx of upper caste leaders into Congress. On February 3, when Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will address a rally in Patna, ex-BJP MP Uday Singh is expected to join the Congress. In the coming days, other BJP leaders such as Kirti Azad and Shatrughan Sinha are also likely to join the party though they have not yet said anything on this. With more senior leaders, Congress will demand more seats. Also, the dominance of upper castes doesn’t go with the RJD’s stand on EWS reservation. The RJD has reservation specifically on gangster-turnedpolitician Anant Singh, who was earlier with JDU. Singh is keen to contest Munger Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket. “We are opposed to certain kind of politics and Congress should realise that,” an RJD leader said.

RJD leader Manoj Jha, however, sees no trouble in the grand alliance. “There is absolutely no hiccup as far as seat sharing in grand alliance is concerned.” “Leaders are constantly in conversation with each other. Every Lok Sabha constituency is being analysed on several factors. As soon as it is through, it shall be shared in the public domain.”