The fractured Grand Alliance (GA) is expected to gain a shape but it depends on the response of the RJD chief Lalu Yadav to the overtures of the left parties and democratic forces. Though the ill treatment meted out to the senior leaders of the Left parties in 2015 and again in 2019 has turned them sceptical of the behaviour of Lalu son, Tejashvi, yet in the interest of the state and to ensure the defeat of the NDA, they have reconciled to the idea of reviving the Greater Alliance.
The fact is the GA had ceased to exist in the wake of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with RJD public face Tejashvi Yadav refusing to listen to the arguments and suggestions of the allies. What simply aggravated the situation was his abrasive mannerism. He allotted more seats to the non-existent parties, but refused to listen to the logics of the left and secular parties.
Though the leaders of the allies are yet to forget the past, the sources confide the situation has also drifted away from the RJD. The party is not in the commanding situation as it was in 2015. The clout of RJD has received a major setback with at least six of its sitting MLAs shifting their allegiance to the JD-U, while party veteran Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is still sulking over the prospect of ‘bahubali’ Rama Singh’s induction. In recent times the rich yadavs have switched their loyalty to the BJP and also to Nitish Kumar
Though at least two national secretaries of two communist parties are not averse to the idea of giving a try, they made it known that the RJD leadership must act in a restraint manner. Meanwhile the second rung leadership of CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) and even other left parties have a word of caution for Lalu Yadav that he must rise above the love for son (putra moh) and realising the gravity of the situation he must work for defeating the NDA. These leaders feel that the ground level situation is favourable for defeating NDA conglomerate. Any dithering on Lalu’s part would simply help Nitish to come back to power once again.
The left’s desire to firm up poll alliance is aimed at presenting a united challenge to Nitish Kumar led NDA in the state. Meanwhile the democratic forces have come up with the proposal to present CPI’S Kanhayia Kumar as the opposition face. This according to them does not imply that he would be the next chief minister. In fact on his part Kanhaiya never showed any inclination for this job and he is happy to work for the defeat of the NDA. On the contrary this impression was created by the RJD, especially the friends of Tejashvi during the Lok Sabha election. The opposition
The proposal to present Kanhaiya as the public face ofthe opposition has come from Upendra Kushwaha the former Union Minister in Modi cabinet. One of the prominent dalit face of GA Jitan Ram Majhi has already joined the JD(U). However sources close to GA express hope that he may rethink his decision.
Though it is said that the GA leadership is treading cautiously, the offer of five seats each to CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) has irked the left leadership. The sources confide that Tejashvi is also reluctant to give sufficient seats to the Congress in commensuration with its national stature. Tejashvi holds that Congress has lost much of its charm and support base. Giving many seats to Congress will simply a wasteful exercise. What has irked the left leaders most is that instead of discussing directly with them, he has passed the buck on the Congress.
The leaders hold that this is a tactics not to concede too many seats to them. If he initiates direct discussion in that situation he would have concede too many seats. In the event Congress does this task, he will spare some 40 to 50 seats and tell the Congress leaders to distribute among them. Even the Congress leaders have taken this as an affront and nurse the feeling that the leadership must put its foot down. Instead of listening to the RJD dictates must assert its stature.
These developments and growing dissension against Tejashvi are major stumbling blocks in the path of firming up alliance. It is an open secret that the electoral arithmetic would require it to fill the big void left by the JD-U after 2015 assembly elections.
CPI-ML general secretary Dipankar Bhattachary had earlier also called for Opposition unity in Bihar, even if it required some compromises by all the constituents, to stop the NDA from returning to power in the forthcoming elections by checking fragmentation of votes. In that backdrop, RJD state president Jagtanand Singh’s separate talks with the CPI-ML leaders and a group of CPI-CPM leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday assumes significance.
In 2015 the RJD did not accord proper treatment to the CPI-ML. In 2015 elections the CPI(ML) had won three seats against the formidable Grand Alliance (GA) comprising the JD-U, RJD and the Congress. All the six left parties had then fought jointly, independent of both the GA and NDA. Even during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, left parties were out of the GA over denial of ticket to CPI’s Kanhaiya Kumar and differences on seat-sharing formula.
According to the CPM leader Sarvoday Sharma the left parties have been having regular interactions and there is a general understanding in favour of a broader Opposition alliance but are not willing to surrender their initiatives.
While CPI has been keen on fighting the polls in Beguwarai, Khagaria, Madhubani, Banka and Siwan, the CPI(M) is learnt to be interesting in contesting some seats in north Bihar. Senior CPI(M) leader Ramdev Verma had represented Bibhutipur in Samastipur district for long.
CPI(ML) office secretary Kumar Parvez said: “We are ready for an alliance with the RJD. We already have three seats and have a good hold on over a dozen seats in Bhojpur, Patna, Arwal and Siwan (districts). It looks like a good sign that all three Left parties are trying to be part of the Grand Alliance in Bihar.”
CPI state secretary Ramnaresh Pandey and his CPI(M) counterpart Awadhesh Kumar told the media about the need for a “united Opposition” to take on the NDA. Pandey said: “We need to contest together to stop fragmentation of votes.”
If the CPI enters into Alliance for the coming Assembly polls, it would be interesting to see whether Tejashvi shares the dais with Kanhaiya. Tejashvi’s averseness to Kanhaiya is an open secret as he perceives him as his rival. Apart from the CPI, the CPM and the CPI-ML, All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) are the other Left parties active in the state.
However, it is also a known fact that the Left parties have an extensive presence across Bihar and have the ability to influence results on at least 50 seats.
Realising that upper caste Brahmins are shifting to the party, the Congress leadership is planning to accommodate the Brahmins to a large extent. They want to revive their old support base. With Nitish Kumar simply taking care of the interest of the Koiri and Kurmi people, the upper castes are also in the introspective mood. But they are adopting the policy of wait and watch. A viable alternative with Congress and Left may witness a sharp shift. (IPA Service)
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