Congress veteran meets RJD leadership to resolve alliance tensions as deadline for nomination withdrawals nears.
Patna, October 23 :The Opposition’s INDIA bloc on Wednesday moved to defuse tensions in Bihar, with senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot meeting RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav, former CM Rabri Devi, and party leader Tejashwi Yadav in a bid to settle ongoing seat-sharing disputes threatening the coalition’s unity ahead of the state assembly polls.
The high-level meeting took place a day after nominations closed for the second phase of elections, revealing overlapping candidates from alliance partners in at least ten constituencies. With Thursday marking the last date for nomination withdrawals, the bloc is racing to present a united front before the November 11 polls covering 122 seats.
After the meeting, Gehlot downplayed reports of discord, describing the differences as “minor and local in nature.” He said, “The Mahagathbandhan is contesting the elections together. There are some issues in 5–10 seats, but such friendly fights are not unusual in large alliances.” He added that clarity on all matters would be provided in a joint press conference on Thursday.
Tejashwi Yadav, too, expressed confidence that the Grand Alliance would remain intact, reiterating that all internal issues would be amicably resolved within the next 24 hours.
About The Author
