by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
A Lokmat exclusive report
After Maharashtra, Congress seals Bihar deal with RJD others
Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha to quit BJP soon ?
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Jan. 10
After Maharashtra, its the turn of Bihar where Lok Sabha seat sharing arrangement by the Congress with its major allies has virtually been frozen.
Highly placed sources in the Congress say that Mahagathbandhan parties have come to an understanding that 40 Lok Sabha seats will be shared amongst the allies with the sole objective of defeating the BJP-JD(U)-LJP alliance.
Highly placed sources told Lokmat that the final announcement about seat sharing deal is likely to be made only after January 15-16.
The contours of alliances have been finalised after several parleys among the leaders in Delhi, Patna and Ranchi jail where Lalu is presently lodged. It transpires that it was Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh who was a catalyst in the Opposition unity operation in Bihar. He was instrumental in bringing Upendra Kushwaha to the Opposition fold and made him quit the Modi government. It was Akhilesh who took Kushwaha to senior Congress leader Ahmad Patel and later Rahul Gandhi. He also arranged his meeting with Lalu in Ranchi jail. Sources say that the deal with Kushwaha was clinched assuring him of six seats. He had got five seats in the NDA though could win three only. He wanted six seats and Lalu agreed to give him the same. The Congress wants to contest 12 seats but at present, 11 seats have been committed to it.
As per the deal, the RJD contesting 19 seats, Congress 11, Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP six seats, HAM of Jitan Ram Manjhi two and Sharad Yadav will contest one seat. The 40th seat may go to Mukesh Sahni who joined the Mahagathbandhan. It has also been agreed if some formidable leader quit the JD (U) or the BJP, seats will be to him either by the Congress or the RJD.
It is learnt that some of the dissident BJP leaders Kirti Azad (Darbhanga) and Shatrughan Sinha (Patna) may also be accommodated from the seats of their choice if they finally quit the party. Shatrughan Sinha 's services may be used as a star campaigner by the alliance partners in Bihar and elsewhere and he may contest from Delhi instead of Bihar.
The Congress is keen that alliances are finalised in every state as soon as possible so that candidates' selection process could be initiated. It has sealed the deal in Maharashtra and now clinched in Bihar.
Ends
