Lok Sabha Election 2024: The issue of seat sharing among the Indian alliance regarding the Lok Sabha elections 2024 has not been able to come out of the whirlpool. Congress, which is considering itself a leader at the national level, wants respectable seats in coordination with its allies. The party wants about half a dozen of its high profile leaders to contest the elections. But, there is no scope for seats for them. Tariq Anwar, Meira Kumar, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Ranjita Ranjan, Uday Singh and Shatrughan Sinha had last contested the elections on Congress ticket. Among these, Shatrughan Sinha has joined the Trinamool Congress and reached the Lok Sabha, but all the other leaders have their eyes fixed on the party.
Last time Congress had contested on 9 seats
Last time in 2019, Congress had an agreement with the Grand Alliance led by RJD in Bihar. In this it got nine seats. Of the nine seats, Congress won only one Kishanganj seat, while six of its candidates came second in the contest with JDU. JDU does not want to give up this seat under any circumstances, whereas the reputation of Congress stalwarts on these seats is at stake.
There was competition from JDU on these seats
Katihar, Munger, Supaul, Kishanganj, Purnia and Valmikinagar are such seats where JDU was at first position and Congress was at second position. This time the Congress leaders of Bihar have maintained silence on seat sharing. It is believed that whatever decision is taken by the top leadership of Congress at the last moment, the party will accept it. Katihar seat is considered important in Congress. Here, Tariq Anwar, close to the Gandhi family, has been contesting and winning elections. Last time in 2019, Tariq lost to JDU’s Dulalchand Goswami by about sixty thousand votes. Congress will also keep an eye on this seat.
Congress will keep an eye on Supaul seat also!
Ranjita Ranjan has been winning the elections from Supaul seat. In 2019, JDU’s Dileshwar Kamat won from this seat. Congress made arrangements to send Ranjita Ranjan from Rajya Sabha to Parliament. This time also Ranjita Ranjan’s supporters hope that the party can make her a candidate from here, but it does not seem easy. For JDU, this seat is related to prestige. Here Dineshwar Kamat is the MP from the most backward caste.
Congress fielded candidates in Kishanganj and Purnia also
Kishanganj is the seat of Congress. The party’s only MP from Bihar, Mohd. Javed has been elected on this seat. In Kishanganj, JDU was at second position by a margin of about thirty thousand votes, while AIMIM was at third position here. Similarly, Congress also got Purnia seat in the seat agreement. The party had made Uday Kumar Singh, who came from BJP, its candidate here. Uday Singh got about 3.69 lakh votes and stood second.
Rahul Gandhi spoke to Nitish Kumar on phone
Let us tell you that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi talked to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar regarding the distribution of seats among the constituent parties of India. This is the Chief Minister’s second conversation with Rahul Gandhi after the meeting of the India Alliance on Wednesday. Soon seats will be distributed among the constituent parties of India in Bihar. Minimum common programs will also be decided. Leaders of constituent parties will also go for joint election campaign. This conversation between the two leaders took place on Thursday. After talking to Rahul Gandhi, RJD leader cum Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav also talked to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday. He went to CM House and met Nitish Kumar.
Opposition will brainstorm on seat sharing
It is noteworthy that the political equation of Bihar has changed this time. JDU separated itself from NDA and this time a separate alliance of opposition parties, India, has been formed in the Lok Sabha elections. Recently the fourth meeting of India Alliance was held in Delhi. Now discussion is going on on seat sharing. In Bihar, seats are to be divided between JDU-RJD-Congress and Left parties. Meanwhile, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad said after the meeting of India Alliance that all is well in India Alliance. The meeting has been very positive. He said that the decision on seat sharing will be taken in 15-20 days. JDU National President Lalan Singh has also said that soon everything will be finalized on seat sharing.