E-Paper
Ahead of second phase of Bihar polls, VIP withdraws support to RJD in Kaimur
Bal Govind Bind, the VIP state and district chief, made the announcement after RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav’s refusal to endorse the VIP candidate from Chainpur
The Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP), a constituent of the Opposition bloc in Bihar, has announced withdrawal of support to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidates contesting four seats in the Kaimur district ahead of the second phase of assembly polling on Tuesday.
Bal Govind Bind, the VIP state and district chief, made the announcement after RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav’s election rally at Bhabua, one of the seats, on Sunday, and his refusal to endorse the VIP candidate from Chainpur.
Chainpur (Kaimur) and Gaura Bauram (Darbhanga) are the seats where RJD and VIP were in a friendly fight. VIP chief Mukesh Sahni was adamant about contesting the seats. The RJD’s unwillingness to concede them delayed the announcement of the RJD-led bloc’s seat-sharing arrangement. Ultimately, both RJD and VIP announced a friendly contest by fielding their candidates.
On November 4, the VIP chief withdrew his brother Santosh Sahni’s candidature from Gaura Bauram and announced support for Afzal Ali Khan (RJD). This was part of an understanding between Mukesh Sahni and Yadav. The RJD agreed to withdraw its candidate, Bharatiya Janata Party turncoat Brij Kishor Bind from Chainpur in favour of Bal Govind Bind, said VIP leaders familiar with the matter.
Mukesh Sahni confirmed this at an election rally in support of his candidate in Chainpur on Friday. He said Yadav had called the RJD candidate and instructed him to withdraw his candidature, but the candidate refused. He said that Yadav would announce the VIP’s Chainpur candidate as that of the bloc.
The VIP candidate set up a stage for Yadav in Chainpur, but he held a rally at Bhabua and garlanded the RJD’s nominee and appealed for votes for him.
On Sunday evening, the VIP announced its opposition to the RJD in Kaimur. On Monday, Bal Govind Bind said the alliance with the RJD had ended for all four seats in Kaimur, and that his party’s Mallah and Bind voters would oppose the party.
Mukesh Sahni’s rallies in Motihari in support of the RJD candidates have been cancelled over the last two days, even as he blamed technical reasons for it.
There was no immediate response from the RJD.
