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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Crucial Grand Alliance meet over seat sharing in Delhi today
Grand Alliance (GA) leaders are set to hold a meeting at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarter in New Delhi on Wednesday in a bid to finalise the seat sharing pact.
Grand Alliance (GA) leaders are set to hold a meeting at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarter in New Delhi on Wednesday in a bid to finalise the seat sharing pact.
AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and Ahmed Patel are slated to preside over the meeting, which would be attended by leaders of the GA, including Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Upendra Kushwaha (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party), Jitan Ram Manjhi (Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular), Sharad Yadav (Loktantrik Janata Dal) and Mukesh Sahni (Vikassheel Insan Party).
AICC leaders said a broad consensus over seat sharing had already been arrived at during discussions among senior Congress leaders and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, currently undergoing treatment at Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) under judicial custody.
“The Congress has communicated its share of seats it intends to fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to the RJD. The Congress may opt to fight it alone if the GA constituents fail to offer us a respectable number of seats in Bihar,” said a senior leader of the state Congress, who will also participate in the crucial meeting.
AICC in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil and Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) chief Madan Mohan Jha, who were in Ahmedabad to attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, would go to Delhi Tuesday evening.
Rajya Sabha Member Akhilesh Prasad Singh, chairman of the BPCC campaign committee, will also attend the seat sharing talks with Grand Alliance leaders.
The Congress intends to contest at least 12 to 13 out of the total 40 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and wants to accommodate the left parties also.
Prominent seats the party is eyeing to contest include Kisanganj, Katihar, Supaul, Darbhanga, Aurangabad, Sasaram, Valimiki Nagar, Samastipur, Sheohar, Motihari and Purnia. “However, problem arises when the RJD insists on the Congress to fight seats where we are uncomfortable,” said an AICC leader.
Though BPCC chief Madan Mohan Jha expressed confidence that everything would be settled at the Delhi meeting Congress Legislature Party leader Sadanand Singh, also a member of the recently constituted state election committee, said, “The party has emerged stronger under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. If seat-sharing does not work out, there will be no problem. Ham kisi ke bhi mohtaj nahin hain (we are not dependent on anybody).”
Reacting to the Congress leader’s comments, RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary said, “The grand old party must make up its mind on whom it wants to fight. Does it want to defeat the BJP or engage in a fight against those who are committed to thwarting the saffron party. Our party has the biggest janadhar (support base) in Bihar. The Congress can belittle us at its own peril. Moreover, it will also have to answer the voters who wish to get rid of the BJP.”
BPCC campaign committee chairman Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the RJD and other constituents would agree to the Congress’ seat sharing strategy, which has been prepared on the basis of a seat-wise assessment conducted by an independent agency for Lok Sabha polls.
The RJD is seeking to contest 20-21 seats, while HAM-S is eying at least two seats. RLSP is ready to contest at least three and LJD and VIP are aspiring to field two and three candidates in the LS polls, beginning April 11.
