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Congress-RJD tie-up faces uncertain future

Uncertainty looms large over the electoral alliance led by the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar as the Congress is unwilling to accept the 14 seats allotted to it for the Lok Sabha poll.

Senior Congress leaders were still camping in New Delhi hoping to get more seats through intervention at the highest level. But RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav had said the announcement was 'final'.

The Communist Party of India, which was allotted three seats, was also unhappy and its state committee would meet today to discuss the issue.

Bihar Congress spokesman H K Verma told UNI today that senior party leaders were still camping in New Delhi. Party sources said their supporters, highly demoralised with the seat-sharing arrangement, were still hoping that the situation would improve once senior leaders from Delhi intervened.

Sources said while the Congress was not given any reserved seat meant for the scheduled castes elsewhere in the state, it was given all the five reserved seats in south Bihar since the RJD might find it difficult to face the electoral battle from there as it was opposed to the creation of the Jharkhand state.

Sources said such a policy would not have better impact on the overall understanding among the alliance partners and in the process the 'communal and non-secular' forces would get leverage. They still hoped that something would emerge soon to project the alliance as a strong and united one to get sizeable support from the people.

However, there was no indication from the RJD of a positive signal. They were also apprehensive of 'friendly contests' in several seats which was crucial for the Congress particularly in view of the assembly election expected around March next year.

UNI

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