Seat-sharing in INDIA bloc may have to wait as Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav leave for Delhi

Seat-sharing woes may continue to plague the INDIA bloc in Bihar for some time, with RJD president Lalu Prasad, along with son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, leaving for Delhi on Sunday.

The party, which recently “authorised” Prasad to take a call on seat distribution and candidate selection, enjoys an overbearing presence in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’, the name by which the RJD, Congress and Left combine was known in Bihar until a nationwide alliance was formed with the catchy acronym.

When the father-son duo, accompanied by Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi, a former chief minister, left their residence, cries of despair emanated from aspirants who were hopeful of an audience with their benefactors.

Security personnel had a tough time chasing them away from 10, Circular Road, the bungalow allotted to Rabri Devi, right across the street from the chief minister’s residence.

At the airport, the elderly couple chose to take no questions from journalists, but Tejashwi Yadav, who is now eyeing the seat of power held by his parents long back, asserted “all is well”.

Speculations were rife that the RJD’s proverbial “first family” made a dash to the national capital to seek the intervention of Rahul Gandhi, the de facto leader of the Congress, which is said to have annoyed the bigger state ally with its aggression.

Reports in a section of the media suggest that the grand old party believes that after the success of ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, it has ceased to be a spent force in the state, and wants to contest almost as many seats as it did five years ago, when it fielded 70 candidates of whom only 19 could win.

A close aide of the RJD chief, who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, said “Lalu ji and Tejashwi ji have left for Delhi because tomorrow is the date of hearing in the land for jobs scam. Of course, while in the national capital, meetings with senior leaders cannot be ruled out”.

The scam pertains to alleged irregularities that took place while Prasad was the Railway minister in the Congress-led UPA government.

The source also claimed, “our mind is made up. We will keep for ourselves not less than half of the 243 seats. Compared with 2020, when we contested more than 140 seats, that is still somewhat of a sacrifice to accommodate new allies”.

“It is not just for the Congress, but for all smaller parties to realise that there is a need to keep vaulting ambitions in check. Only then can a credible challenge be posed to the ruling NDA”, he added.

Filing of nomination papers will be over on October 17 for the first phase, in which 121 seats will go to polls on November 6.