Sharad Pawar-led NCP to contest Bihar Assembly elections, will announce candidates on Monday

After the Shiv Sena, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday announced that it will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The

After the Shiv Sena, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday announced that it will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The party will be contesting the polls independently. Insiders said that NCP was trying to be part of the Grand Alliance led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, but did not get a positive response.

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On Thursday, the NCP declared its list of 40 star campaigners for the elections on 243 Assembly seats to be held in three phases, starting October 28.

Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD, Congress and left parties formed an alliance against the ruling alliance of the Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“NCP was looking to be part of the RJD-Congress alliance but we have yet to get any response. They have also declared a seat-sharing formula so we don’t have any option but to contest the polls on our own,” said a party insider, requesting anonymity.

“We will be contesting the Bihar Assembly elections alone. The party is considering contesting 40-50 seats. By Monday, we will be declaring the list of party candidates as well,” said SR Kohli, permanent secretary and member of the working committee, NCP.

In the previous Assembly elections, the Janata Dal (United), RJD and Congress had formed the Grand Alliance, and NCP was also part of it. The party, however, moved out of the alliance after it was allocated just three of the total 243 seats.

NCP then formed a third front along with Samajwadi Party and four other regional parties. However, it soon parted ways, protesting against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s pro-BJP statements. In the last Bihar Assembly elections, the NCP contested 40 seats but could not win a single one.

Two years ago, Tariq Anwar, former member of Parliament (MP) and party’s face in Bihar left NCP over Pawar’s “clean chit” to the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in the controversial Rafale deal. In his interview to a news channel, Pawar had said that people “do not have doubts” over PM Modi’s intentions. Anwar later rejoined the Congress and has been appointed general secretary recently.

Another ally of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government – Shiv Sena – has also declared plans to contest the Bihar Assembly elections on 50 seats. In the last elections, the party had contested 150 seats but failed to register victory even on one seat.