Ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, the INDIA bloc appears to be experiencing internal friction. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has announced its candidate list, which includes five nominees competing against allies, notably the Congress. This move signals a potential disagreement over seat-sharing, casting a shadow over the alliance’s unity.
The RJD is set to contest against the Congress in multiple constituencies, with Ajay Kushwaha running in Vaishali, Shivani Shukla in Lalganj, and Rajnish Bharti in Kahalgaon. Additionally, Arun Shah will compete against the Vikassheel Insan Party, led by former state minister Mukesh Sahni, in Tarapur and Gaura Boram.
Rumors of a more significant confrontation have been circulating, particularly regarding the Kutumba seat, currently held by Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar Ram, where the RJD is reportedly considering fielding a candidate. This situation suggests a “friendly” contest might be brewing, a consequence of the ongoing deadlock in seat-sharing negotiations.
Cracks in the Coalition
The discord within the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) has become apparent, with Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram publicly accusing RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav of inconsistency and attempting to undermine the alliance. Ram stated, “He entered the AICC meeting with KC Venugopal as a cooperative ally. Now, his actions suggest he is working against the agreement.” He also alleged that Tejashwi Yadav was compromising Dalit representation within the coalition.
Responding to these accusations, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari indicated that the party leadership is closely observing the developments and will address the coalition’s internal concerns. Tiwari emphasized the need for the Congress to understand the RJD’s electoral focus, which is primarily on Bihar, unlike the Congress which contests elections across multiple states. He stressed that such situations are common in coalitions and that discussions would be held among top leaders to resolve the issues.