Grand alliance allots all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar

Patna: Amid reports of discontent, the RJD-led grand alliance in Bihar on Friday allocated all of the 40 Lok Sabha seats, announcing candidature of RJD leaders Misa Bharti and Abdul Bari Siddiqui from Pataliputra and Darbhanga respectively, besides Congress’ Meira Kumar from Sasaram.

Even as Congress failed to get West Champaran or Madhubani in exchange of Valmiki Nagar, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who was accompanied only by non-Congress leaders from among alliance partners, signalled that all is well in the grand alliance. But, absence of any senior Congress leader on the occasion showed the party’s displeasure over arm-twisting by Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.  “This Mahagathbandhan is unbreakable. Our fight is to save the constitution and democracy. Rumours are being spread about this grand alliance but we will jointly uproot NDA in the coming elections,” said Tejashwi Yadav, adding that the Congress election committee had cleared the list.

Reports, however, suggested that the Congress is still trying to persuade Tejashwi Yadav to give the Grand Old Party the Darbhanga seat which has been given to RJD candidate Mr Siddiqui.

Kirti Azad who had left BJP and joined Congress recently wanted to contest from Darbhanga. RJD sources aware of the development told this newspaper that the Congress may offer Mr Azad a seat from New Delhi.

Name of alliance’s candidate from Patna Sahib has also not been announced yet. It is believed that sitting BJP MP from the seat, Shatrughan Sinha, who is all set to join the Congress, will be fielded from here.

Two other key constituencies which the Congress failed to get were West Champaran and Madhubani. As per the seat sharing deal, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) will be fielding a candidate from West Champaran and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikasheel Insan Party (VIP) will contest from Madhubani seat.

Political observers pointed out that the RJD has relied heavily on its old M-Y (Muslim–Yadav) formula in announcing the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The RJD has fielded three Muslims and eight Yadav candidates out of its 19 seats.

The party has given tickets to veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav from Madhepura.

Mr Rai’s candidature may widen the rift in Lalu Yadav’s family. Sources said that Lalu Yadav’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav may contest as an independent candidate against his father-in-law from Saran seat. Tej Pratap Yadav is currently an MLA from the Mahua Constituency in Bihar. Lalu Yadav had represented the seat four times which has now been given to Mr Rai.

The RJD has also given a ticket to Vibha Devi, wife of rape convict and party MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav from Nawada.

Among the Muslim face, Hina Shahab, wife of criminal turned politician and convicted leader Mohammad Shahabuddin, has been given a ticket from Siwan seat.