Patna: A day after RJD president Lalu Prasad endorsed West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's desire to take over the reins of the INDIA bloc, AICC secretary incharge of Bihar, Shahnawaz Alam, fired a salvo at the former by proposing for two deputy CMs in the event of the opposition alliance winning next year's assembly elections. The move drew bitter criticism from the RJD, which suggested the Congress rein in such a leader.
Alam, who is currently on a tour to Bihar, while interacting with a gathering of party workers in Khagaria, said the two deputy CMs should be from the Congress' quota. "It is our resolve that if the next govt is headed by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, two deputy CMs should be from our party—one from Muslim community and the other from the general category," Alam told the gathering. Stating that they are going to the people with two agendas, the AICC secretary said the issue of "partnership" is the most important, adding the INDIA bloc is ready for elections.
Congress' demand for two deputy CMs when the assembly elections in the state are due next year, came just a day after Lalu came out in support of Mamata, who expressed her willingness to head the INDIA bloc. "Congress' reservations (on this) amount to nothing…Mamata ko do (give her the leadership role)," Lalu told the reporters on Tuesday, shortly after NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar also came out in her support.
Analysts said Alam's move is likely to have serious implications in the sense that VIP chief Mukesh Sahani has already "staked claim" for the post of deputy CM in the opposition govt and has already launched a yatra across the state.
However, the AICC secretary's move triggered storms in the RJD camp, which suggested the Congress leadership to act fast and rein in such persons when the upcoming elections require each partner to work under proper coordination. "Such statements violate the coalition dharma. The Congress must rein in such loose cannons," RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari told the reporters on Wednesday. Advising the coalition partners against issuing any controversial statements, Tiwari said their first priority must be to form the next govt in the state, for which they must better focus on strengthening the party organisations.
Reacting to Alam's remarks, JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar said the Muslim community is not going to fall into the trap of sweet-coated words of the Congress, which ended the community's leadership in several states. "Muslims have become wiser with time and won't be falling into the traps of the Congress any more. They will solidly vote for the JD(U) in the next assembly elections in the state," Anwar said, alleging it was under the Congress' rule that riots broke out in Meerut, Bhagalpur, and Jabalpur, in which many lives were lost.
He said the Congress is desperately trying to reach out to the Muslim community after the INDIA bloc faced poll disasters in the recent bypolls to four assembly seats in Bihar. "The bypoll results have indicated that the Muslims have begun deserting the INDIA bloc," Anwar said.