The seat-sharing between RJD, Congress, three Left parties – Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) –in Bihar has been finalised and will be declared within a day or two. The RJD held seat-sharing discussions with Congress in New Delhi on Wednesday, and with CPI(ML) on Thursday. According to sources, RJD will contest in at least 25 seats and the Congress might contest 8 to 9 seats, while 3 to 4 seats would be left for the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), one seat for the CPI-M and one seat for the CPI. However, CPI(ML) has been asking for eight seats to contest in the state, including Siwan. RJD is offering Ara, Nalanda and Karakat seat to CPI-ML, but CPI-ML wants Siwan also and it has become a bone of contention between the RJD and CPI-ML. According to sources, if CPI-ML does not get the Siwan seat, then there will be a friendly fight between RJD and CPI-ML. However, the Congress will get West Champaran, Aurangabad, Kishanganj, Patna Sahib, Purnia, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur. Additionally, Congress wants Begusarai, Katihar, Nawada and East Champaran seats and it has become a sore point between the RJD and Congress. The CPI might get the Begusarai seat and CPI-M Khagaria Lok Sabha seat. The talks are on with Mukesh Sahni’sVikassheel Insaan party and RJD might offer one seat to it.
RAHUL’S BHARAT JODO NYAY YATRA CULMINATES IN MUMBAI’S GRAND FINALE
Mumbai’s Shivaji Park came alive with loud chants and songs on justice echoed on the culminating event of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, which projected a show of strength ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, which will be held in seven phases commencing from April 19. This time, the slogans called for a different sought “freedom” – from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party government. In the past, once Jay Prakash Narayan called for a ‘total revolution’ from the grounds of Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. During his call for total revolution, JP read a Ramdhari Singh Dinkar poem, Singhasan Khali Karo ki Janata aatihai. While addressing the rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi won’t be able to win the Lok Sabha elections without EVMs, ED, CBI and Income Tax and alleged that the latter had a “monopoly over corruption.” While the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader recalled that Quit India movement against British was started from the city of Mumbai, so he gave a call of Quit BJP from power.
ODISHA: BJP, BJD SEAT-SHARIG DEAL YET TO BE FINALISED
The declaration of candidates for the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats by the three main parties — BJD, BJP and Congress, seems to be under lingering suspense, getting delayed over a possible alliance between the BJP and the BJD in Odisha. Workers of both parties are eagerly waiting with baited breath to know whether they will fight against each other or be friends in the election. Election in Odisha will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. According to sources, the BJD is not keen to concede much space to the saffron party with regard to the Assembly seats. The BJD has 12 Lok Sabha and 111 Assembly seats, while the BJP has eight Lok Sabha and 22 Assembly seats at present. However, the BJD is confident and also optimistic about its prospects without an alliance with the BJP, since Patnaik continues to be hugely popular with the announcement of various welfare schemes benefiting all sections of the population. Meanwhile, the Congress is playing a wait-and-watch strategy to capitalise on the situation to their maximum advantage.
WEST BENGAL: CONGRESS TO SEAL DEALWITH LEFT FRONT, TMC TO GO SOLO
The Congress is on verge of finalising a seat-sharing pact with the Left Front and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal. According to sources, the Congress might contest 12 seats, while the ISF has agreed to contest six constituencies. On the other hand, Congress on Thursday released its third list of 56 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. In its third list, the Congress declared candidates for eight seats in West Bengal. The party has again fielded Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from Berhampore, setting up the much-anticipated clash between the veteran Congress leader and cricketer-turned-politician Yusuf Pathan, who has been fielded by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. Also, the Congress has fielded Isha Khan Choudhury from Maldaha Dakshin, Mostaque Alam from Maldaha Uttar and Nepal Mahato from Purulia.
WHO WILL CONGRESS FIELD FOR CHANDIGARH LOK SABHA SEAT?
The Congress is all geared up for the decision on its candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. According to sources,, the names of three persons — former Chandigarh MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib, Manish Tewari and the Chandigarh Congress chief HS Lucky had been sent to the CEC. According to sources, Pawan Kumar Bansal or Manish Tewari are the front runners for the seat. The members of the central election committee of the party authorised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to take a call. The party has traditionally been a dominant and eminent force in Chandigarh in both the civic body and parliamentary elections. This time evidently the party is contesting the election in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
JDU’S MOHAMMAD FATMI RESIGNS, LIKELY TO JOIN RJD
JD(U) national general secretary Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi has resigned from the party, which led to the triggering speculations that the former Union minister is likely to join RJD and would be contesting the Lok Sabha elections either from Darbhanga or Madhubani seat. The development comes much after the NDA announced its seat-sharing formula for Bihar, where the BJP will be contesting from 17 seats, including Darbhanga, where Fatmi had won four times. The buzz is that Fatmi, whose son Faraz is a sitting JD(U) MLA, may be strategically wooed back by the RJD which expectedly hopes to consolidate its Muslim support base following Nitish Kumar’s return to the BJP-led NDA. (IPA Service)
