Opposition Unity Faces Big Test in Bihar
Vikash Chandra Pandey, Patna. The unity of the opposition in India faces its biggest challenge in the state of Bihar, where it all began. The alliance in Bihar, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, has the difficult task of distributing seats among the parties involved.
In Bihar, which has 40 Lok Sabha seats, the stronger parties, JDU and RJD, will have to make sacrifices to accommodate the demands of Congress and Left parties (CPI, CPI(M), and CPI-ML). The changing alliances and party switches from the last election have made the seat distribution even more complicated.
JDU, which was previously part of NDA, has now joined INDIA, while Left parties were unaligned in the last election. Hindustani Awam Morcha (Hum) and Upendra Kushwaha have also switched sides and joined NDA. With only 40 seats available, both alliances must find a way to accommodate everyone and keep them satisfied.
JDU Emerges as the Strongest Contender
In the last election, JDU contested on 17 seats and won 16, with RJD coming second on eight seats and Congress on five. RJD contested on 19 seats but failed to win any, while Congress won only one out of the nine seats it contested. The only seat that slipped out of NDA’s hands was Kishanganj.
All the parties involved in the INDIA alliance want maximum seats, and proposals are being sought for seat distribution. Male has also put forward its claim for nine seats, while CPI and CPM have claimed two and four seats respectively.
Congress and RJD’s Demands
Congress, which fought on nine seats in the last election, wants to expand its presence this time. JDU, having won 16 seats, will not settle for less. RJD, being the largest party in the assembly, also demands a significant number of seats. However, Nitish Kumar, the architect of the unity, may need to compromise a bit. Lalu Prasad Yadav has expressed confidence that everything will be fine and they will ensure INDIA’s victory.
Seat Distribution Based on Past Performance
Based on the previous election results, JDU won in Sitamarhi, Jhanjharpur, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, and Jehanabad. Congress faced defeat from JDU in Valmikinagar, Supaul, Katihar, Purnea, and Munger. CPI’s candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, who stood second in Begusarai, is now in Congress, so Congress may claim that seat. Congress has been at the second position in the Valmikinagar constituency for three consecutive elections.
News Summary:
- The unity of the opposition faces a big test in Bihar, where seat distribution among alliance parties is challenging.
- JDU emerged as the strongest contender in the last election, winning 16 out of 17 seats it contested.
- Congress wants to expand its presence, while RJD demands a significant number of seats.
- Seat distribution is based on past performance, with each party claiming seats they previously contested.
