×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

With friends like Sharad, Cong needs no enemies

Last Updated 22 November 2014, 19:51 IST

“Do you know why Narendra Modi, who shouted from the roof-top to bring back black money stashed in foreign bank accounts, has failed to do so?,” asked Janata Dal-United (JD-U) president Sharad Yadav, while canvassing for his party nominee Sudha Choudhary at Chattarpur in Jharkhand.

As the crowd said “No”, Yadav replied, “Because, it’s the black money of not only the BJP leaders, but also that of Congress members.”

The JD (U) chief then went on to brand Congress a corrupt party which has “also looted Jharkhand, much like the BJP, and that’s why the leaders of these parties travel in helicopters, while I traverse through road.”

The uncharitable remarks by Yadav were not music to Congress’ ears as the grand old party is contesting the Jharkhand Assembly polls in alliance with the JD (U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). While the Congress is itself contesting 60 seats out of total 81 constituencies, it has left 19 seats for the RJD and two seats for the JD (U).

Surprisingly, JD (U) strongman Nitish Kumar has not campaigned even once in Jharkhand. Nor does he have any plan to canvass for either his party nominees or the coalition candidates.

“Nitishji is busy with his Sampark Yatra in Bihar, and, therefore, has found no time for Jharkhand polls,” one of his aides told Deccan Herald, and added that Sharad Yadav, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Uday Narayan Choudhary (Assembly Speaker) were campaigning in Jharkhand.

In theory, the Congress, RJD and the JD (U) may have stitched an alliance in this tribal-dominated state, but at the ground level, the pact has developed several cracks. Manoj Bhuiyan, the former RJD MP from Palamu, is contesting as Lalu’s candidate from Chattarpur against the JD (U) nominee Sudha Choudhary.

Similarly, the RJD has fielded Ramchandra Singh from Manika (in Palamu) where Rahul Gandhi on Saturday campaigned for Congress nominee Muneshwar Oraon.

“It’s unfortunate that at some places we (Congress, RJD and JD-U) are having friendly contests. This is in contrast to the BJP, which has left eight seats for All Jharkhand Students Union and one seat for Ram Vilas Paswan-headed Lok Janshakti Party. They are not having any friendly contest, and therefore, certainly have an edge,” a source in the state Congress admitted.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 22 November 2014, 19:51 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT