Ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad met Janata Dal (United) leader and and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for half an hour at the latter’s official residence here on Thursday. Amid speculations that they discussed seat sharing between the two parties in Bihar, the leaders who are part of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), are said to have discussed other issues as well.
Recently, CM Kumar had gone to the official residence of former Chief Minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi to meet her husband Mr. Prasad but he was said to be unavailable, prompting Mr. Kumar to hold discussions with Ms. Devi and her younger son Tejashwi Yadav for a few minutes. Mr. Yadav is the Deputy Chief Minister of the State. Mr. Prasad lives with Rabri Devi at her official residence, 10, Circular Road.
Sources in the ruling Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) told The Hindu that the leaders mostly discussed constituencies from where their respective parties could contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Bihar has total 40 Lok Sabha seats.
In last 2019 election, JD(U) had won 16 seats but RJD could not win even a single seat. JD(U) had fought the election in alliance with the BJP in 2019. The BJP had got 17 seats and six seats were bagged by another NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party. One constituency, Kishanganj, had gone to the Congress party.
“Both the parties, RJD and JD(U), have decided the number of seats they will contest in the coming LS election but the list of constituencies from where each party will contest is still to be discussed,” said a senior RJD leader preferring to be anonymous.
However, sources in the ruling party, JD(U), said both leaders also discussed the ongoing controversy over RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha’s recitation of ‘Thakur (Rajput caste) poem’ during a debate on women’s reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha last week. Mr. Jha had recited the poem composed by poet Om Prakash Valmiki and even leaders of his own party had targeted him for the caste reference.
However, senior leaders of both the political parties, have appealed to party chiefs to rein in their leaders. “Besides, these two leaders also discussed about the INDIA bloc and its move to counter BJP and take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming general election”, said the party leader. “When two seasoned leaders of the State meet, politics is bound to be discussed between them”, he quipped further.
Mr. Kumar had recently instructed officials to complete major construction projects within this year or by January 2024 as the “election can happen any time”, the JD(U) leader said, adding, “The election is at the door”.
