Bihar: Shahnawaz Alam Asserts Equality Among Players in INDIA Bloc
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Patna, Dec 9 (NationPress) The national secretary of Congress and the party's in-charge for Bihar, Shahnawaz Alam, emphasized on Monday that there exists no distinction between big and small players within the INDIA Bloc.
“It is essential to strengthen the ideological groundwork of the coalition, rather than establishing a power hierarchy. Congress activists should not perceive themselves as lesser than other partners in the alliance. Any decisions made within the coalition should reflect the contributions of Congress workers,” he stated.
He added that the allocation of seats ought to be determined by the strike rate—a measure indicating party performance in recent elections, especially the Lok Sabha polls.
This approach, if adopted, may instigate renegotiations within the alliance, potentially causing unease for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), led by Tejashwi Yadav, which has historically held a preeminent position in the state.
The Congress's suggestion to use the strike rate from the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections as a basis for seat-sharing poses a significant challenge for the RJD.
The RJD contested 23 seats, securing victory in four, resulting in a strike rate of 17 percent. Conversely, Congress contested nine seats, winning three, with a strike rate of 33 percent.
The CPI (ML), boasting the highest strike rate, contested three seats and claimed victory in two, marking a success rate of 67 percent.
Traditionally, the RJD has been the leading entity in Bihar's Mahagathbandhan, but now holds the weakest strike rate. Should Congress's proposal be embraced, the RJD would experience a notable reduction in its negotiating strength concerning seat-sharing agreements. This could fundamentally alter the established hierarchy within the alliance, wherein the RJD has historically been positioned as the “big brother.”
