Seeking to buck the trend of recent Parliamentary election, in which the BJP decimated them, the JD (U), the RJD and the Congress on Wednesday announced an alliance among the three for bypoll in 10 Assembly seats in Bihar, considered as semi–final before the crucial State election next year.
As per seat–sharing arrangements reached by the parties, the JD (U) and the RJD will contest four seats each and the Congress two seats.
The alliance was formally announced by State Presidents of JD (U), RJD and Congress Bashisth Narayan Singh, Ramchandra Purbey and Ashok Chaudhary respectively at a joint press conference here.
The deal was sealed after talks between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad, they said.
Mr. Singh told reporters that the JD (U) will field its candidates at Parbatta, Mohania (SC), Jale and Hajipur, while Mr. Purbey said his party will contest Chapra, Mohiuddinagar, Rajnagar (SC) and Banka seats.
Mr. Chaudhary said his party would contest from Bhagalpur and Narkatiaganj.
The three state chiefs said that names of their candidates would be made public in a day or two. August 2 is the last date for filling of nominations for the August 21 byelection.
Justifying the alliance of the three parties, JD (U) State president said it was the “need of the hour.”
Nitish Kumar, who returned to Patna last night after a trip to Mumbai and New Delhi, was not present at the press conference. RJD president Lalu Prasad is in Delhi.
“After the recent general election in which BJP came to power by befooling voters, the nation’s mood has started changing...we are uniting to check the split in anti–BJP votes in election,” Mr. Singh and Mr. Purbey said.
In reply to a question if Congress had come to realise that it could not fight the BJP alone and hence it was forging an alliance with regional parties, the PCC chief said the situation demanded a tie–up between like–minded parties to check the spread of the BJP.
To a question why the JD (U) had joined hands with the RJD, against whom they fought for 15 years in the name of ending “jungle raj”, Mr. Singh said, “Things which were relevant yesterday is not so today and those of today will not be so tomorrow.” – PTI
