Not all is well with the RJD-JD(U)-Congress grand secular alliance in Seemanchal, where two of the region’s three Muslim MPs have alleged that their parties and leaders have been “grossly neglected”.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP from Araria, Md Taslimuddin, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP from Katihar, Tariq Anwar, took up cudgels against the “big duo” of the grand alliance.
While Anwar has publicly shown his displeasure at being granted just three seats in the assembly elections and threatened to go the separate way, Taslimuddin is also unhappy with the 100 seats allocated to the RJD.
“RJD must stake claim to over 150 seats in the 243-member assembly. As far as Seemanchal is concerned, the party has a fair chance in all 24 seats in the region’s four districts,” said Taslimuddin.
He also supported the stand taken by senior party leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who has expressed resentment several times over seat allocation.
“All the seats where the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) fielded its candidate in the last assembly elections are the RJD’s seats in Seemanchal. JD(U)’s winning chance is quite minimal in Seemanchal this time. In the last assembly elections, the JD(U) had won seats here only by fluke,” Taslimuddin said.
{{/usCountry}}“All the seats where the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) fielded its candidate in the last assembly elections are the RJD’s seats in Seemanchal. JD(U)’s winning chance is quite minimal in Seemanchal this time. In the last assembly elections, the JD(U) had won seats here only by fluke,” Taslimuddin said.
{{/usCountry}}The Araria RJD MP accused chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar of cheating the Seemanchal people.
“Nitish had given me the offer to join his party. I joined JD (U) only on the condition that he would implement the Rs 700-crore Mahananda basin irrigation project for Seemanchal farmers. But Kumar did nothing, which forced me to quit his party,” Taslimuddin said.
He also did not rule out ‘bagawat’ (revolt) in the party over the region’s neglect.