Bihar elections: Left parties wait for RJD response on alliance

Tejashwi Yadav. (File Photo)

Left parties including the CPI, CPI(ML) and CPI(M) want the RJD to move ahead with alliance talks in the run-up to Bihar polls. The RJD has received a list of probable seats from them, but is yet to respond.

CPI(ML) general secretary Dipanker Bhattacharya told reporters on Friday: “The people want to see a broad and united Opposition to take on the NDA in Bihar. But it is unfortunate that there has been no progress towards forging the alliance… The Lok Sabha election results showed that Opposition unity could not be possible without taking into confidence the three Left parties.”

He added that the RJD’s approach and “proposal” has not gone well with CPI(ML) rank and file, and “it is time RJD took up the alliance proposal seriously”.

CPI(ML) state secretary Kunal told The Indian Express: “We have submitted our list of probable seats. We had three rounds of meetings. But there is no response from the RJD.”

CPI state secretary Ramnaresh Pandey told The Indian Express: “We told the RJD how we supported the Lalu Prasad government in 1990. We also reminded them about the CPI winning 26 seats in 1995 Assembly polls. We have given our list to the RJD and our talks are satisfactory so far.”

Sources said the CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M) have given the RJD a list of 53, 17 and 16 seats, respectively. RJD sources, however, indicated that the party might not concede more than 15-17 seats to Left parties as it wants to contest 145-odd seats.

In 2019 LS polls, CPI(ML) had a tactical alliance with the RJD on two seats. CPI failed to forge an alliance with the RJD as it did not want to give up Begusarai, where it fielded Kanhaiya Kumar.

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