Kanhaiya Kumar may contest from Begusarai in 2019

Patna: The Mahagathbandhan leaders in Bihar have been holding series of closed-door meetings to resolve the issue of seat adjustments with alliance partners based on their strength in constituencies.

According to reports attempts are also being made to pull left parties including the CPI-ML and CPI into the fold.

Sources claimed that a preliminary round of discussions regarding the issue took place recently and attempts are being made to reach an agreement with opposition parties in Bihar to field former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar as their joint candidate from Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency.

CPI leaders couldn’t deny the reports and said that “Kanhaiya Kumar is the most suitable candidate to contest from Begusarai constituency. Even our central leaders are keen on fielding him as a candidate but officially we can only declare his name after other parties give their final nod on the issue”.

Sources familiar with the development said that though RJD chief Lalu Yadav, currently facing an imprisonment term, has agreed to leave Begusarai seat for Kanhaiya Kumar decision regarding the issue can only be taken after seat sharing adjustments are finalised with other partners.

According to sources Tejashwi Yadav was earlier keen on keeping the Begusarai seat for his party but after Lalu Yadav agreed to leave the seat for Kanhaiya Kumar he went silent.

Political analysts believe that resentment from Congress side is also unlikely over Kanhaiya Kumar’s name as he is being seen as a strong candidate against the BJP in Begusarai.

A native of Begusarai Kanhaiya was arrested by the Delhi police in February 2016 on the charge of sedition, after anti- India slogans were allegedly raised during an event in JNU.

Kanhaiya’s father is a left sympathiser and works as a farmer in Bihat Panchayat under Barauni block of Begusarai district in Bihar and his mother is as an Anganwadi worker in the district.

BJP’s Bhola Singh had won the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat by defeating RJD candidate Tanveer Hasan in the 2014 general elections by 58,000 votes.