According to reports, the grand alliance in Bihar, seen as the main bloc taking on the BJP in the state, appears to be developing some fissures. Senior leader and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav announced his party’s candidates for 13 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar without consulting coalition partners.
This unilateral move by Mr. Yadav has not gone down too well with allies such as the Congress. One Congress leader spoke to reporters, expressing surprise at the announcement. “We were not expecting Lalu Ji to declare seats on his own without discussions. This is not how coalition dharma works,” he said.
With the polls only a few months away, the alliance’s last need is internal disagreements and confusion over seat distribution. The RJD, Congress, and other smaller parties like Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP have posed a formidable challenge to the ruling NDA in the past elections. However, ego clashes and issues over prominent candidates have also affected their performance.
Top sources in the Congress said they would be holding talks with RJD to clear the air. But the question is how much damage has already been done to the alliance’s unity crucial for its chances this time. With the BJP aiming to retain its dominance under Nitish Kumar, even minor schisms within the opposition could benefit the incumbent ruling side in Bihar. Much now depends on the agility of the alliance leaders in ironing out differences before voters make up their minds.
