Lok Sabha Polls: Mukesh Sahni Joins Mahagathbandhan In Bihar, VIP To Contest On These 3 Seats

Lok Sabha Polls: Tejashwi Yadav said that out of the 26 seats allotted to the Rashtriya Janata Dal, three have been allocated to Mukesh Sahni's VIP as per the party's decision.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni on Friday joined the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar ahead of the upcoming general elections. Sahni's inclusion comes after prolonged discussions, notably with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. The event took place at the RJD office, where Sahni was welcomed into the alliance in the presence of Tejashwi Yadav. As part of the 'I.N.D.I.A.' alliance, RJD has allocated three seats to Sahni out of its 26. 

Addressing the gathering, Tejashwi Yadav expressed determination to challenge the NDA, accusing the BJP of undermining democratic principles and vowing to protect the Constitution against any threat. He said, "We are very happy that Mukesh Sahni has come with us. We all welcome him to the RJD family. To save democracy and the Constitution, we should work to take everyone along and respect them too", as quoted by news agency PTI. 

Yadav revealed that out of the 26 seats allotted to the RJD, three have been allocated to Sahni as per the party's decision and the directive of Party President Lalu Prasad Yadav. These seats include Gopalganj, Jhanjharpur, and the Motihari seat (East Champaran Lok Sabha seat), marking a strategic distribution within the alliance, news agency ANI reported.

Mukesh Sahni expressed his commitment to continue the legacy of the country's freedom fighters saying, "The way our ancestors have struggled for the independence of the country, we will fight the same struggle in this Lok Sabha election. Today we have come into the 'I.N.D.I.A.' alliance and we will definitely fight the elections of 2024 with strength and we will work on all 40 seats and win all 40 seats".

"...We are people who believe in the ideology of Lalu Prasad Yadav...BJP tried to poach our leaders & tried to finish our party," he remarked, as per ANI.

The Mallah community, comprising 6 per cent of Bihar's population, holds significant sway over 10 to 15 electoral seats in the region. In the 2020 assembly elections, Mukesh Sahani contested 11 seats and secured victories in four.