New Delhi: Seat sharing in the grand alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar remains unresolved, with the RJD led by Lalu Prasad and left parties proceeding to announce their candidates and allocate symbols. In contrast, the Bihar Congress leadership has maintained silence on the matter.
The contention primarily revolves around the Aurangabad and Begusarai Lok Sabha seats, where the Congress sought to field its candidates. Despite its claims to these seats in the seat-sharing discussions, the RJD and Communist Party of India have moved forward with their candidates. Abhay Kushwaha has been designated as the RJD candidate from Aurangabad, while the Communist Party of India has nominated Awadhesh Rai from Begusarai. It is speculated that the Congress intended to field former Aurangabad MP Nikhil Kumar as its candidate. However, Lalu Prasad's decision to allocate the party symbol to Abhay Kushwaha seemingly blindsided the Congress.
The voting for the Aurangabad seat is scheduled for April 19, during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. In the case of Begusarai, Congress aimed to nominate Kanhaiya Kumar, a prominent leader, but was caught off guard by the Communist Party of India's decision to field Awadhesh Rai. Following these developments, former MP Nikhil Kumar criticized the RJD, urging the Congress to intervene and prevent Lalu Prasad from making unilateral decisions regarding Congress seats.
The announcement of Awadhesh Rai's candidacy in Begusarai further compounds Congress' woes. Kanhaiya Kumar, who was previously the Communist Party of India's candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has since joined Congress, prompting the party to consider fielding him in Begusarai. However, this plan was disrupted by the Left Party's decision.
Amid continuous neglect within the Bihar Grand Alliance, questions arise regarding Congress' ability to contest a significant number of seats. The party finds itself in a state of shock as RJD and the Left unilaterally announce their candidates, potentially limiting Congress' electoral presence in the region.
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