Congress stakes claim on 12 Lok Sabha seats

PATNA: Congress has staked its claim over 12 seats to contest in the Lok Sabha election in Bihar. Sources said RJD, which is likely to contest 15 seats, was also not averse to Congress’s demand during the Grand Alliance (GA) meeting held at the residence of leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Monday. Congress had contested the same number of seats in 2014 general election and won two.

Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha is to meet party chief Rahul Gandhi in Delhi either on Wednesday or Thursday to apprise him of the formal seat-sharing talks held on Monday. “Once Rahul gives his nod, the announcement will be made after January 14,” said a source present at the meeting of Congress MLAs and MLCs held at the residence of their legislature party leader Sadanand Singh on Tuesday evening. Bihar Congress incharge Shaktisinh Gohil was also present in the meeting.

Sources said among the other Grand Alliance partners, Sharad Yadav-led Loktantrik Janata Dal may get three and Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP five seats. Hindustani Awam Morcha headed by former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and Vikassheel Insaan Party of Mukesh Sahni will be given one seat each. Three of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar have been reserved for the Left parties, sources privy to the Monday deliberations said.

Another agenda of the Congress meeting was its rally scheduled at Gandhi Maidan on February 3. Rahul will also attend the rally, the first by Congress in Bihar after winning assembly elections in three states.

Sadanand said all the legislators were asked to assist people from their areas in attending the rally. “We all are working to make it a historic event,” he said.

Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra said the rally has been christened as ‘Jan Aakansha Rally’. He said other GA leaders would also be invited to attend the rally.