Patna: The cracks in the opposition grand alliance in Bihar seem to be deepening as state Congress in-charge Bhakta Charan Das on Friday said the oldest party will contest all 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 as its ally. RJD, “did not follow coalition dharma”. The RJD responded by saying that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ was “intact” in the state.
Das, on his part, said that the RJD has not given the Congress its due respect, upset over the decision of its alliance partner to field a candidate for the bypoll to Kusheshwar Asthan assembly seat, which his party contested in last year’s elections.
“If RJD cannot show us respect, how can we give them respect in return? The party has not followed the coalition ‘dharma’. The alliance broke on the day RJD decided to contest from Kusheshwar Asthan seat.
Das told reporters on the sidelines of a program organized to welcome newly-appointed Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar at Sadaqat Ashram (Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters) here, “We are now consolidating our party for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and all 40 Will contest the seats.” .
Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani, who arrived in Patna on Friday to campaign in favor of Congress candidates for the upcoming by-elections, were also accorded a warm welcome at Sadaqat Ashram.
Bypolls to Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur assembly constituencies have been held due to the death of sitting JD(U) MLAs. Polling for both the seats will be held on October 30.
Discord in the Mahagathbandhan came to the fore recently when the Congress sought to field its candidate for the Kusheshwar Asthan seat by-election, which it contested in the 2020 state elections as per the seat-sharing agreement of the Grand Alliance, but the RJD ran Gaya further and gave the names of its candidates from both the constituencies.
Das also categorically rejected the claims made by RJD’s successor Tejashwi Yadav that both the parties were fighting a friendly contest on two seats.
“There is no friendly fight with RJD. We are fighting elections to win seats.
Responding to Das’s claims, Bihar RJD chief Jagdanand Singh said that the grand alliance is intact, and this time is not enough to make predictions for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
“The grand alliance is intact and RJD is a part of it. Whatever Das has said is his personal opinion. How can one predict the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in 2021?” Singh added.
Meanwhile, Kumar said after the welcome that Congress is the only party which can save the culture and heritage of the country.
“The BJP is a threat to the Constitution and democracy of our country. Democracy can survive only when Congress is strengthened. Issues like farmers’ agitation and inflation will be resolved only when we have a strong opposition.
Echoing him, Hardik Patel said that there is a sense of urgency among the people to save the country and the youth should make efforts on this front. “We should save the country from radical forces,” Patel said.
read all breaking news, breaking news And coronavirus news Here. follow us on Facebook, Twitter And Wire.
.