The political activity in Patna is heating up since the Delhi assembly results have been announced. Several National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders of Bihar and those at the national level have claimed with complete confidence that Bihar is the next state where the saffron party would form the government. Union Minister and founder of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) Jitan Manjhi had posted a message on social media platform ‘X’, formerly Twitter, claiming that Delhi was the trailer and Bihar was yet to come. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary has claimed that NDA would get more than 200 seats in Bihar due to the development work of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. On the other hand, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad categorically rejected the claims of BJP to form government in Bihar. Lalu said: “There would be no impact in Bihar, they would be thrown out.”
CONGRESS FOCUSES ON MUSLIMS, DALITS AHEAD OF BIHAR ASSEMBLY POLLS
Ahead of Bihar assembly elections, the Congress leadership is shifting its focus to the eastern state to strengthen its local unit. The All India Congress Committee (AICC)’s chief Mallikarjun Kharge had appointed Akhilesh Singh as the BPCC president in December 2022 as he is close to Lalu Prasad Yadav. Several state Congress leaders are pressing the AICC leadership to replace Rajya Sabha MP and state chief Akhilesh Singh with a face from the Dalit or minority communities. However, Congress feels Rahul Gandhi’s emphasis on the Constitution and inclusivity has seeped deep within the Muslim and Dalit voters, who see him as one who is most vocal on voicing their issues. However, one section of the state Congress leaders are demanding to have a Muslim state president to woo Muslims in the state. Recently, Congress leader and party’s Bihar co-incharge Shahnawaz Alam had shown concern that the party would like to have two deputy chief ministers, including a Muslim, if the coalition formed the next government in the state. According to the Bihar caste survey in 2023, Muslims make up a significant 17.7 per cent of the state’s population. On January 28, the Congress welcomed into its fold Ali Anwar Ansari, a former Rajya Sabha MP from the Janata Dal (United) and chief of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz. In addition, Bhagirath Manjhi, son of Bihar’s legendary ‘mountain man’ Dashrath Manjhi, and a cohort of other notable figures, also joined the Congress. The party, eager to win back its lost base, sees in Ansari a leader with deep grassroots connections, particularly among the Pasmanda Muslims, who constitute nearly 80 per cent of Bihar’s Muslim population. However the Congress will also be looking to harness his influence in the hope of reasserting itself among Bihar’s marginalised yet electorally significant Muslim communities.
MVA IN CHOPPY WATERS AFTER SHARAD PAWAR PRAISES EKNATH SHINDE
Political activity in Maharashtra is intensifying after NCP(S) chief Sharad Pawar felicitated Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde at an event in Delhi. The move has irked the Shiv Sena (UBT), with senior party leader Sanjay Raut strongly criticizing Pawar for honouring Eknath Shinde, intensifying the rift in Maharashtra’s opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. However, Shinde, who split the erstwhile Shiv Sena and aligned with the BJP to pull down the Uddhav government in 2022, was honoured with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtriya Gaurav Award in Delhi on Tuesday. Pawar had not only presented the award but also praised Shinde at the event, sharing that he had contributed significantly to the development of Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mumbai. The display of bonhomie between Pawar and Shinde angered Uddhav Thackeray and Raut had given vent to his feelings. “They (Shinde and Shah) had joined hands to ruin the party set up by Balasaheb Thackeray and such a man is being felicitated. I think Maharashtra and the Marathi manoos have been grossly insulted,” Raut said. The outburst indicated that the MVA coalition too appears to be in troubled waters.
TMC HINTS AT ALLIANCE WITH CONGRESS FOR 2026 BENGAL ASSEMBLY POLLS
After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee framed the possibility of an alliance with the Congress party, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee stated that they are ready for possible forging of an alliance with the Congress party for the West Bengal Assembly election, which is due next year. Abhishek said, “We have said this categorically in the past as well that we continue to be a part of the INDIA alliance. But if the Congress is not ready to consider a better seat-sharing arrangement, then we will go ahead and contest the elections on our own terms. We fought the elections alone, and we did not lose here.” Abhishek Banerjee’s statement, which is viewed as a reconciliation attempt by the ruling party in West Bengal. Though the TMC, Congress, and the Left parties are part of the INDIA bloc, Congress and Left fought against the TMC in last year’s Lok Sabha elections in Bengal. The TMC won 29 of the total 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, while the Congress won one.
FRESH APPOINTMENTS REINVIGORATE CONGRESS AFTER KEY POLL LOSSES
Major organisational reshuffle in the Congress has started. Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Harshwardhan Sapkal in the capacity of the new chief of the party’s Maharashtra unit on Thursday. Sapkal takes over from Nana Patole, who had resigned following the party’s poor performance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Kharge also approved the appointment of Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar as the new leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Maharashtra, indicating a clear move in the party’s leadership structure in the state. The party is also moving ahead with plans of a round of fresh appointments at AICC. Even Odisha got a new president Bhakta Charan Das, and Kharge’s decision to appoint Das is seen as part of a broader strategy to revive the party in the state. His experience and organisational skills will be crucial as the Congress looks to reposition itself as a credible alternative in Odisha’s evolving political landscape. With assembly and parliamentary elections now behind, Das’s primary challenge will be to rebuild the party’s grassroots network, resolve internal rifts, and craft a strong political narrative to counter the dominance of the BJD and BJP in the state. While the Congress also appointed Vikrant Bhuria as the chairman of the All India Adivasi Congress. (IPA Service)
A Step Closer To Political Solution, But Uncertainty Looms Large In Manipur 