This story is from March 29, 2019

Congress netas meet Rahul as Grand Alliance ‘crisis’ deepens

Congress netas meet Rahul as Grand Alliance ‘crisis’ deepens
Rahul Gandhi
PATNA: Though the first phase of Lok Sabha elections is less than a fortnight away, the Grand Alliance (GA) in Bihar is still unable to sort out differences as far as sharing of seats among its five constituents is concerned.
A delegation of state Congress leaders met party president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday and discussed about uncertainties regarding some seats in the state, such as Darbhanga, Patna Sahib, Supaul and Valmikinagar.
Party’s Bihar incharge Shaktisinh Gohil, state chief Madan Mohan Jha, state’s campaign committee chairman Akhilesh Prasad Singh and senior leader Sadanand Singh were among those who met Rahul.
Sources said a section of Bihar Congress functionaries was unhappy for “not getting a fair deal” in seat-sharing arrangement.
A joint press conference of the GA to announce the names of 31 remaining candidates, which was to be held in Patna on Thursday, was also cancelled.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s younger son and leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav also cancelled his election rallies in Jamui and Katihar citing poor health condition.
In Darbhanga, the Congress is keen to field Kirti Jha Azad. The RJD, however, is not relenting from its stand of fielding Abdul Bari Siddiqui from the seat.
Differences have also cropped up with respect to the Patna Sahib seat which is represented by
Shatrughan Sinha. Though Shatrughan was supposed to quit BJP and join the Congress in New Delhi on Thursday, the exercise was postponed to April 6. It is still not clear whether the seat will go to the kitty of Congress or not.
The RJD, it is learnt, is also opposed to giving Supaul seat to the Congress. Despite Narendra Modi wave in 2014, Congress’s Ranjeet Ranjan had won the seat by a handsome margin.
The Congress’s attempts to adjust Kirti Azad in Valmikinagar have also faced RJD’s resistance, the sources said.
As per the initial seat-sharing formula reached in the GA, the RJD had agreed to contest 20 seats, Congress nine, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) led by Upendra Kushwaha five, Hindustani Awam Morcha–Secular led by former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi three and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) led by Mukesh Sahani three.
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