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After quitting Grand Alliance, VIP chief keeps all options open for Bihar polls
On Saturday, the VIP dealt a blow to the Grand Alliance (GA) by opting out accusing GA’s chief ministerial candidate and RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav of betraying its trust.
A day after quitting the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Grand Alliance (GA) over seat-sharing deal, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni is in talks with the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) to give shape to the third front in the state ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, beginning October 28.
Talking to media persons on Sunday, Sahni, who flashed on Bihar’s electoral horizon in 2015 as ‘Son of Mallah, said that he was talking to RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha and JAP chief Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav to offer another formidable alternative to the people of the state.
“Political situation in Bihar is still quite fluid. Our party may also tie-up with Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which too has dumped the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The VIP may contest all 243 seats in Bihar if things did not materialise its way,” said Sahni, adding that the list of first phase candidates would be announced tomorrow.
As many as 71 legislative assembly seats of the state are going to polls in the first phase on October 28, the last date of nomination of which would end on October 8.
Also read: Lok Janshakti Party to contest Bihar assembly polls alone
On Saturday, the VIP dealt a blow to the GA by opting out accusing GA’s chief ministerial candidate and RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav of betraying its trust. “Yadav backstabbed me, as he did during the Lok Sabha elections by denying the preferred seat to the VIP, even though we stood firmly behind him in every negotiation,” said Sahni.
RJD national spokesman Manoj Jha said Sahni’s acts had stunned him as it was completely unexpected. “We have differences with the BJP and other parties, but there is a decent way to dissent. “We don’t indulge in politics of chhura-khanjar (knives). Other parties might be doing it. Sahni has lost the credibility of trust in politics and it will not be undone,” said the RJD leader.
Senior GA leaders said that Sahni’s demand was irrational. “The VIP was asking for 25 seats under the GA and the post of deputy chief minister, which was too big a deal to concede to. We were ready to offer him seven to eight seats for which he initially agreed,” said another RJD leader.
A section of GA leaders said that Sahni’s conduct had come under a cloud as he had already declared to opt out of the coalition a few weeks ago. “In 2015, he campaigned for the BJP. His party, the VIP, was formally launched in 2018. Later, he joined the GA in 2019 and contested three seats under the alliance. However, his party failed to win any seat,” said an RJD leader.
RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, whose party had teamed up with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to fight the state polls, said Sahni had talked to him for a broad coalition. “The final shape of the coalition will emerge tomorrow if he continued the dialogue,” added the RLSP chief.
