Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (R) and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Negotiations are still on in I.N.D.I.A. bloc to minimise friendly fights in Bihar Assembly elections, which yielded some positive results with Congress candidate withdrawing his nomination from Lalganj seat in favour of RJD, bringing down the number of seats where both allies were fighting to four.
CPI is also expecting the Congress to withdraw from at least one seat, as discussions among constituents were in full swing on Tuesday. At present, Congress and RJD are locked in a friendly fight in four seats -- Narkatiaganj, Vaishali, Sultanganj and Kahalgaon -- while CPI is facing its ally Congress in another four seats -- Bachchwara, Kargahar, Bihar Sharif and Raja Pakar.
Vaishali, Raja Pakar, Bachhwara and Biharsharif seats will go in for polls in the first phase on November 6 and the date for withdrawal over on Monday, all eyes are on the other seats where the last date of withdrawal of nominations are on Wednesday.
The RJD had also not fielded a candidate in Kutumba, sitting seat of Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, setting stage for further discussions. RJD and Congress were fighting in at least five seats against each before the latter's Lalganj candidate withdrew his nominations on Monday.
Rejection of CPI candidate's nomination in the Rosera seat also saved the coalition from another friendly fight between Congress and the Left party while RJD and VIP are facing each other in two seats -- Babuhashi and Chainpur.
However, both RJD and VIP reached a compromise on Guara Boram and Tarapur. In Tarapur, RJD and VIP were about to enter into a contest but talks led to the latter announcing withdrawal of its candidate but there was a twist in the tale as Sakaldeo Bind, the VIP candidate withdrew from the race but joined BJP.
In Gaura Boram, RJD decided to back VIP, which has fielded party chief Mukesh Sahani's younger brother Santosh. RJD candidate Afzal Ali, who had initially filed nominations, refused to withdraw from the race even as party chief Lalu Prasad himself wrote to the Election Commission not to consider him as party candidate.
Ali remains in the fray, which I.N.D.I.A managers believe would create confusion among RJD voters.
Parties are also facing rebel trouble. In Parihar, RJD women's wing chief Ritu Jaiswal has filed nominations as an independent over preferring the daughter-in-law of former state president Ram Chandra Purve as the candidate.
Congress is also facing internal trouble as independent MP Pappu Yadav, who is aligned with the Congress, has managed to get tickets for his supporters in place of sitting MLAs. Several Congress candidates who have lost the election by a thin margin have been omitted from the list while those who have lost by huge margins have got another chance to fight, Congress rebels have claimed.