Bihar’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Grand Alliance (GA) is working on a common agenda ahead of the assembly elections in the state this year, people aware of the matter said. The discussions on the agenda are likely to commence once the seat-sharing deal is finalised, they added.
A final round of seat-sharing talks was due between Congress’s Shaktisinh Gohil and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday evening. Yadav, RJD’s national spokesman, Manoj Jha, and former minister Alok Kumar Mehta also held discussions on seat-sharing with Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal in New Delhi last month.
Leaders of the Congress, RJD, and Left parties said the alliance would have a common agenda apart from their party-wise manifestos.
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State Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha said reform in the educational system, alleviation of farmers’ sufferings, safety and security to women, and creation of jobs are some of the issues they will insist on inclusion in the agenda.
RJD leader Bhai Birendra said if they come to power, they will undo the injustices meted to the state and its people over the past 15 years. “Anarchy is prevailing all over, as criminals are holding sway over the governance. People are compelled to migrate for sustenance, even as the government keeps patting itself on its back for development,” said Birendra. He added there have been 50 scams over the past five years and an attempt to deprive the underprivileged of their right to reservation.
{{/usCountry}}RJD leader Bhai Birendra said if they come to power, they will undo the injustices meted to the state and its people over the past 15 years. “Anarchy is prevailing all over, as criminals are holding sway over the governance. People are compelled to migrate for sustenance, even as the government keeps patting itself on its back for development,” said Birendra. He added there have been 50 scams over the past five years and an attempt to deprive the underprivileged of their right to reservation.
{{/usCountry}}Birendra said jobs for everybody, assured water to each section of land, revamping the policing system to rein in criminals, the revival of industries, and integration of rivers are part of the agenda they have offered.
The Left parties are also in the process of selection of major issues for their inclusion in the agenda.
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Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) secretary Parwez Akhtar said same pay for the same work, national status to the Patna University, the revival of the defunct irrigation system, qualitative change in the educational system to ensure high-class teaching in government schools and delivery of rights to the deprived sections were among the issues they would fight the elections on.
Political commentator Nawal Kishore Chaudhary said the way the allies were talking about the agenda suggested they have almost reached an agreement on the seat allocation. “They have picked up the issues well.”