Congress MLA Manohar Prasad Singh Responds to Disciplinary Notice Over Rajya Sabha Election Absence
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Patna, March 25 (NationPress) Congress MLA Manohar Prasad Singh has formally addressed the notice issued by the party’s disciplinary committee chairman, Kapildev Prasad Yadav, regarding his absence during the voting for the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections in the Bihar Assembly.
In his detailed response, Singh, representing the Manihari Assembly constituency, voiced significant concerns regarding the alleged alliance of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) with the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) candidate.
He articulated that AIMIM is widely viewed as the “B-team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party and labeled it a communal entity, asserting that any collaboration with such a party contradicts the fundamental ideologies of the Congress party.
Singh also pointed out that the Grand Alliance lacked the essential 41 votes in the Assembly to secure victory in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Given this numerical challenge, he opted not to engage in the voting process.
He made a strong statement, suggesting that for a national entity like the Indian National Congress, forming any alliance—be it direct or indirect—with a party it had previously criticized would be politically and ethically unjustifiable.
He compared this action to deliberately swallowing a live fly, arguing it would damage the party’s principles, dignity, and political standing.
Singh further claimed he had no advance notice regarding the selection of the Grand Alliance candidate, distancing himself from the decision-making process.
Recalling past political events, Singh mentioned that before the Bihar Assembly elections, AIMIM had sought to join the Grand Alliance but was rejected, with party leaders labeling it as aligned with the BJP.
He raised concerns that any subsequent dependence on AIMIM's backing posed questions about political integrity and ethics.
In his defense, Singh maintained that even if he and three other absent MLAs had participated in the voting, the defeat of the Grand Alliance candidate would have been unavoidable.
This controversy has intensified the existing internal conflicts within the opposition coalition in Bihar following their defeat in the Rajya Sabha elections.