Allies Cong, RJD set for face-off over assembly bypolls in Bihar

A team of observers from the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday held consultations with party workers over the poll strategy for Kusheshwarasthan assembly seat

Ahead of the bypolls for two assembly seats in Bihar scheduled for October 30, Opposition alliance constituents Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress seem set for a face-off, with both staking claim on Kusheshwarasthan constituency in Darbhanga district, which is reserved for scheduled caste candidates.

Nomination papers for bypolls for Kusheshwarasthan and Tarapur seats are to filed by October 8. (Representative Picture) (PTI/FILE)

A team of observers from the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC), led by Anand Madhab, on Friday held consultations with party workers in Darbhanga over the poll strategy for Kusheshwarasthan assembly seat, from where RJD has already announced its plan to field its candidate.

Bypolls for Kusheshwarasthan and Tarapur seats, both won by Janata Dal (United) in 2020 polls, were necessitated following the death of their respective elected MLAs, Shashi Bhushan Hazari and Mewalal Chaudhary.

Nomination papers are to be filed by October 8.

A few days ago, RJD’s spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari had said the party was preparing to field its candidates on both Tarapur and Kusheshwarasthan (SC) seats as Congress might not be able to win the seats.

In 2020, Congress’s Ashok Kumar had contested Kusheshwarasthan seat and lost to JD(U)’s Hazari by a margin of over 7,000 votes.

In Tarapur in Munger district, RJD’s Divya Prakash had lost to JDU’s Mewalal Chaudhary by a little over 7,000 votes.

BPCC chief Madan Mohan Jha said Congress had started its preparations to fight Kusheshwarasthan seat, which was allotted to the party in 2020 under the seat adjustment among the allies. “There will be no issue in seat allocation as long as the RJD chief Lalu Prasad or opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad doesn’t ask for it. Congress is preparing for Kusheshwarasthan seat following direction from our AICC in-charge Bhakta Charan Das,” said Jha.

Senior Congress leader Kishore Kumar Jha said it was ridiculous on part of the RJD to stake claim on Kusheshwarasthan. “Former Congress legislature party leader Ashok Kumar is a towering scheduled caste (SC) leader, who lost the polls by almost an equal margin by which RJD’s Divya Prakash was defeated by JD(U) in Tarapur,” he said.

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, RJD current has 75 seats and Congress 19. The Opposition alliance, which comprise the two parties and Left parties, has a total strength of 110 in the House, 12 short of the simple majority figure of 122.