Congress To Announce Names Early For Bihar Polls, Likely To Demand Deputy CM Post In Grand Alliance

The Congress high command has instructed the state leadership to begin preparations for seat allocation and candidate selection for the assembly polls. 

Congress is planning to announce its candidates 3 months before the elections.

Source : PTI

Ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has affirmed to party leaders that the grand-old-party will fight the polls in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The remarks of the former Congress chief came during a key meeting with party leaders in Bihar, where concerns were raised over the "lack of respect from the RJD".

Several Congress leaders in the state, including state president Rajesh Ram, had complained of ill-treatment from the RJD and voiced their dissatisfaction.

However, Gandhi made it clear that the party would continue its alliance but reminded leaders that respect in politics must be earned rather than demanded.

Congress Directs Bihar Unit To Finalise Candidates Early

The Congress high command has instructed the state leadership to begin preparations for seat allocation and candidate selection for the assembly polls. 

The Congress party is planning to announce at least 90 per cent of its candidates three months before the elections to ensure a well-structured campaign.

In order to facilitate discussions with the RJD on seat-sharing, Congress has tasked its in-charge Krishna Allavaru, state president Rajesh Ram, and former state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh to negotiate. 

Congress insiders have suggested that Congress is trying to get more seats in the Mahagathbandhan in the seat-sharing agreement. 

In the last elections, the party contested 70 seats in Bihar. However, this time, it expects to secure at least 60 seats as part of the alliance.

Deputy CM Demand on the Table?

The Congress has reiterated that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the grand alliance candidate for Bihar polls.

However, discussions are ongoing about the possibility of Congress demanding the deputy chief minister position as part of the power-sharing arrangement.

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge chaired a meeting at the Indira Gandhi Bhawan in Delhi that was attended by former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar and his predecessor Akhilesh Prasad Singh, AICC's Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, senior leaders Meira Kumar, Tariq Anwar, Shakeel Ahmed Khan and Mohammad Jawed, among others.