NEW DELHI: Before the first phase of voting in the Bihar elections, things have gone awry for the Grand Alliance. They may be fighting the election together, but they have fielded candidates against each other. As in Maharashtra, efforts are being made to win a majority of seats and then stake claim to the CM and Deputy CM positions. However, the NDA will directly benefit from this infighting.
Rahul Gandhi, the LoP in the Lok Sabha, has shown no interest in Bihar for the past month. He left for abroad after Working Committee meeting in Patna on September 24, and is now busy sharpening Dalit politics. He skipped the Central Election Committee meeting convened for Bihar, but also did not meet with key allies RJD leaders Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav. Two reasons are being cited for this. One, the Congress has realized that this time too, the Congress will face a tough time in Bihar as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s charisma appears less effective. Therefore, Congress is playing politics with a view to the future. Secondly, in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi’s young advisors spoiling the game.
Sources indicate that senior Bihar Congress leaders Tariq Anwar, Meira Kumar, and former state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh wanted to quietly form an alliance with the RJD and act according to their wishes. Decisions should be made according to the RJD’s wishes, thereby preventing the BJP’s alliance, at least in Bihar, and creating an environment for other states.
There is no doubt that this election in Bihar has become special in many ways. Whichever alliance wins the election will gain strength in the upcoming elections. That is why this time BJP changed its entire strategy in Bihar. Nitish Kumar also knows that this could be his last election. Age is taking its toll. That is why he compromised on seat sharing. He gave up the rights of his elder brother. It seems to be yielding benefits. While NDA is fighting the elections unitedly, there is tension in the Grand Alliance.
Old Congress leaders knew that if Congress does not act as per Tejashwi the game will be spoiled. Almost the same thing seems to be happening. Rahul Gandhi started acting as per the wishes of his youth team in-charge leaders like Krishna Alaveru, Kanhaiya Kumar, Pappu Yadav. Actually, the first major setback for Congress was the failure of the SIR issue of internsive scrutiny of Bihar voter list. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition felt that this issue would change the government in Bihar. But the Election Commission ended the issue by answering every question of the opposition. Whereas the opposition had not allowed the monsoon session to run smoothly on this very issue.
To establish its influence in Bihar, Congress got Rahul Gandhi to undertake the Voter Rights Yatra. This Yatra caused damage to the Grand Alliance. This Yatra increased tension between RJD and Congress. After the defeat of the SIR, Rahul Gandhi amplified the slogan “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod” (vote thief, leave the throne). RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and his party were forced to side with the Congress. The RJD believed that the Congress would declare Tejashwi as the CM face. But that did not happen. Instead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the face of the election. The abuse and sloganeering during the election put PM Modi on the front foot.
