New Delhi, December 20: After winning three major states in the Hindi heartland, the Congress today unveiled its Bihar grand alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, bringing on board the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, the Loktantrik Janata Dal and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular).
The shot in Congress’ arms was the entry of NDA partner RLSP into its fold, with RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha citing “personal insults” and “governance failures” of the ruling BJP as reasons for quitting the saffron alliance for a “secular one”.
Appearing on the Congress stage with new political friends today, Kushwaha, who resigned as a Minister of State for HRD recently, said, “The decision about seat sharing talks will be taken at the right time.”
Kushwaha alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led JD-U attempted to break his party and PM Narendra Modi remained a mute spectator.
Kushwaha was flanked by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Congress strategist Ahmed Patel, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav and HAM chief and former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Tejashwi attacked the BJP, saying the grand alliance was “not a meeting of parties but a meeting of hearts”. With RLSP joining the UPA ahead of the 2019 elections, the electoral equations in Bihar are bound to change.
With the return of JD-U to NDA — considering JD-U had broken ranks with the NDA on the eve of 2014 LS polls — the RLSP was finding it hard to get space. In 2014, the NDA alliance comprising the BJP, LJP and the RLSP won 31 of the 40 seats in Bihar. The BJP had won 22, LJP six and RLSP three.
With the JD-U back in NDA, RLSP would have had to squeeze its share to accommodate the JD-U — something that was unacceptable to it.
The grand RJD-Congress led alliance would now face the challenge of seat sharing with RLSP expecting a lion’s share. The Congress had won only two Bihar seats in 2014, the RJD four and NCP one.
