The announcement of the much-awaited Opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar on Friday indicates the resurrection of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s era when he started the Muslim Yadav (M-Y) caste and religion consolidation.
The very fact of fielding an alliance partner, Viskasheel Insaan Party (VIP) from Darbhanga against the wishes of Congress which wanted to field former BJP MP Kirti Azad who joined party recently from the seat and giving the Gaya Lok Sabha constituency to former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who formed his party Hindustan Awaam Morcha (HAM) after breaking from JD(U) point that the jailed RJD strongman’s writ still ruled large in the State.
Similarly, Lalu also had his way in wresting the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency for HAM. The seat earlier represented by Congress and was considered its stronghold.
In totality, this distribution of seats and parties has kept in mind the Muslim and Yadav and other backward classes in mind and forced political parties including the grand old party to move ahead the Lalu way who is serving a jail term currently “operating from a hospital in Ranchi”.
Spearheading the alliance, the RJD will contest 20 seats, the Congress on nine, Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP on five seats, while the VIP and HAM will contest three each, the CPI-ML will fight on one seat on RJD quota. RLSP had quit the NDA fold and a ministerial berth on condition to contest not less than five seats under the Mahagathbandhan banner.
Former JD (U) president Sharad Yadav, who floated his own outfit Loktantrik Janta Dal, will, also contest on a RJD ticket. He will merge his outfit with the RJD post-polls.
Nitish and BJP has traditional forward caste voters who have 17 per cent presence in Bihar while the Mahadalits account for 16 per cent and Muslims for 17 per cent vote share in the State. Rest comprises of crucial backward and other backward classes represented by many splinter political parties and remains decisive.
After days of oscillation of talks amongst the partners, the grand alliance leaders announced its seat-sharing formula for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the State.
Leaders of all alliance partners of the Mahagathbandhan, including BPCC president Madan Mohan Jha were present at the Press conference. However, top leaders like Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Upendra Kushwaha, Sharad Yadav and Jitan Ram Manjhi were conspicuous by their absence.
Candidates were also announced for the Lok Sabha seats that go to polls in the first phase, for which filing of nominations will end on March 25 and votes will be cast on April 11.
The seat sharing announcement evoked angry outbursts at Sadaqat Ashram, the Congress headquarters in Bihar as supporters of former Aurangabad MP Nikhil Kumar raised angry slogans in protest against the seat going to HAM.
Talks between the Congress and RJD came under severe strain with the Congress demanding at least 11 out of Bihar’s 40. The 11-seat demand was already a climbdown as it had initially wanted to contest on 15.
However, the Tejashwi Yadav-led party was willing to part with only nine. The Congress has been assured the first Rajya Sabha berth from the alliance as and when the vacancy arises.
Contrary to expectations, Kanhaiya Kumar, who was hopeful of a ticket from Begusarai, has not found a place. However, the RJD has given one seat to CPI(ML) from its own share of seats.