Congress strategy meeting for Bihar polls harps on alliance with RJD

With elections just months away, Congress central leadership on Tuesday held a strategy session with its Bihar leaders where there was an overwhelming view that they should strengthen its alliance with RJD.

The meeting, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, came days after Rajesh Kumar, a Dalit, was named new president of its state unit. Senior leaders like Meira Kumar, Tariq Anwar, Shakeel Ahmed Khan and Mohammad Jawed also attended. 

Kharge posted on X, "Bihar is craving for change. The youngsters of Bihar want employment, the people of Bihar are waiting with hope for real social justice."

Bihar Congress leaders were of the view that they should settle for a "respectable" number of seats in the alliance though numbers did not come up for discussion. In the 2020 elections, Congress contested 70 seats but won only 19 with its leaders claiming that most of the seats which they fought were not won by either RJD or Congress in the recent past.

Sources said sitting MLAs told the leadership that it was not right to send a message that their tickets would be cut. They also wanted instructions from the party to start electioneering in their seats.

There was also a suggestion that candidates should be announced well in advance.

The Congress has sounded the poll bugle with the appointment of a Dalit leader as its president in Bihar. It also comes in the midst of a 'yatra' being undertaken by party leader Kanhaiya Kumar in the state. 

There has been tension between RJD and Congress with mid-level leaders in the latter mincing no words by claiming that the Lalu-led party was trying to undermine them and it should bargain hard during seat negotiations.