Dispute surfaces over face of grand alliance in Bihar

Patna: With Assembly elections slated to be held this year, the grand alliance in Bihar faces the daunting task of resolving the leadership issue.

While the RJD has been in favour of contesting the Bihar polls under the leadership of its leader Tejashwi Yadav, the Congress wants the AICC top leadership to take a final decision on the issue.

Congress MLC Prem Chand Mishra Friday raised the temperature in Bihar politics by suggesting that “the leader of the grand alliance will be decided at the right time by AICC president Sonia Gandhi”.

Grand alliance partners, including Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM, Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP, and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikasheel Insan Party (VIP) have also been reluctant in accepting Mr Yadav as their leader for the Assembly elections. In February, the RLSP, HAM and VIP had created a flutter by holding a meeting in Patna and floating the name of Sharad Yadav as the face of the coalition.

Mr Manjhi, along with the others, has also been urging the RJD to resolve the leadership issue through a coordination committee. In an earlier statement, Mr Manjhi had said, “The agenda is to strengthen the grand alliance in Bihar. We want all issues to be resolved by forming a coordination committee”.

On many earlier occasions, Opposition leaders in Bihar have hinted that Mr Yadav lacks the confidence and may not pose a threat to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who has been declared as the face of the NDA.

Sources said that the Congress’s statement on the issue of leadership may create trouble in the Opposition alliance in the state ahead of the Assembly elections. The RJD, which is the largest party in the Bihar Assembly, has already officially declared the name of Mr Yadav as the face of the grand alliance.

Reacting to the issue, RJD MLA and party spokesperson Bhai Virendra said, “There is no confusion over the issue as Rahul Gandhi has already clarified that the Assembly elections in Bihar will be fought under the leadership of Mr Yadav”.

Reports suggest that the Congress has been trying to improve its base in the state, especially in areas which are currently under the BJP or JD(U) hold. Sources said that the party workers have been asked to interact with voters in order to gain in the elections.