Patna: There are differences of opinion within Congress over the party`s tie up with RJD after its humiliating defeat in the recently concluded assembly election.
The issue was raised during a high-level meeting held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Friday.
Kharge reportedly asked party office-bearers and MLAs from Bihar whether the alliance with the RJD should continue or if the Congress should go solo in the state. All six Congress MLAs opposed continuing the alliance, saying that it had damaged the party’s electoral prospects. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting.
Some office-bearers, however, argued in favour of maintaining the alliance. Sources said Akhilesh Prasad Singh, a Rajya Sabha member considered close to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, supported continuation of the tie-up, describing it as both beneficial and necessary for Bihar.
In the last state polls, Congress won only six out of 61 seats it contested. RJD, the largest constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, contested 143 seats but managed to win only 25. In contrast, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United), secured 202 seats.
All six Congress MLAs, Surendra Prasad (Valmiki Nagar), Abhishek Ranjan (Chanpatia), Manoj Biswas (Forbesganj), Abidur Rahman (Araria), Qamrul Hoda (Kishanganj) and Manohar Prasad Singh (Manihari), also attended the meeting amid speculation of possible defections. They ruled out the possibility of joining Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD (U). The meeting at Kharge’s residence was convened to clear the air over these rumours.
After the meeting, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said, “There were rumours that all our MLAs from Bihar were deserting the party. However, all of them were present at the meeting in Delhi. These reports are completely baseless.”
Speculation about defections had intensified after the MLAs skipped a feast organised by the party at Sadaquat Ashram ahead of the Makar Sankranti festival.
