Patna, March 17 (NationPress) Following the NDA's decisive victory in the Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, internal conflicts within the Opposition alliance, Mahagathbandhan, have emerged, prompting several MLAs to clarify their choice to abstain from the voting process.

Congress MLA Manoj Vishwas, who opted not to vote, stated that this decision was made under the guidance of Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram.

Representing Forbesganj in Araria district, Vishwas informed IANS that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) nominated Amrendra Dhari Singh, a candidate from the Bhumihar community, without prior discussion with the Congress leadership in Bihar.

“The RJD did not consult our state president, Rajesh Ram. As a result, Ram permitted us to decide on our participation in the vote. Consequently, I chose not to cast my vote in the Rajya Sabha election,” Vishwas remarked.

He added that many Congress representatives come from Dalit, OBC, and minority communities. “If our leadership does not receive the respect it deserves, how can we back the candidate?” he questioned, affirming his commitment to the Indian National Congress.

The Mahagathbandhan candidate, Amrendra Dhari Singh, belongs to the Bhumihar community, and his campaign was spearheaded by senior Congress figure Akhilesh Singh, who shares the same caste.

The abstaining MLAs suggested that caste considerations and insufficient collaboration within the alliance influenced their choices.

In addition to Manoj Vishwas, Congress MLAs Surendra Kushwaha and Manohar Prasad Singh also refrained from voting, along with RJD MLA Faisal Rahman.

According to Vinay Yadav, the media representative for Surendra Kushwaha, the MLA was unhappy with the candidate selection and believed that RJD leader Deepak Yadav should have been nominated instead.

Manohar Prasad Singh, the MLA from Manihari, stated that the alliance neglected to field a candidate from the Dalit, minority, or OBC groups.

He characterized his abstention as a protest against the decision, while asserting that he would remain with the Congress.

Meanwhile, sources close to Faisal Rahman mentioned that personal matters prevented him from voting, as he is currently in Delhi caring for his ill mother.

The absence of these MLAs was significant, as it undermined the Mahagathbandhan's standing and facilitated the NDA's success in winning all five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar.

This situation has underscored internal divisions within the Opposition alliance, with issues surrounding coordination, representation, and caste balance surfacing as critical factors driving the abstentions.