RJD unruffled by Congress' Mahagatbandhan exit; avers 'cannot make early prediction'

Unperturbed by Congress' announcement that it will go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, RJD contended that it was too early to make a prediction about the future of the Mahagatbandhan. Stressing that his party still believed in the sanctity of the alliance, Bihar RJD president Jagdanand Singh told the media on Friday that it would respect the decision of its ally. Maintaining that RJD always abided by the coalition dharma, he reminded Congress that the United Progressive Alliance government was formed in 2004 only with the support of the MPs belonging to the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led party. 

Responding to the latest move by Congress, Bihar RJD chief Jagdanand Singh said, "We have heard that the election will take place in 2024. We cannot make such an early prediction. Every party takes its own decision. We are in the Mahagatbandhan but not a single party. We will accept the decisions taken by them."

"We have followed the Mahagatbandhan dharma to the extent that we sacrificed our government but did not break the Mahagatbandhan. The entire Bihar knows this. Lalu Ji has also sacrificed. He has given up his own posts and given others those posts. People should not forget that when the Congress government was not there in the country, Congress could not have made a comeback in 2004 had Lalu Ji's MPs not extended their support," he added. 

The rift between Congress and RJD

The differences between RJD and Congress came to the fore after ex-JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar switched allegiance to the Sonia Gandhi-led party. RJD has been at odds with Kanhaiya Kumar over his decision to contest from Begusarai in the 2019 General election despite the former fielding a strong candidate in Tanveer Hassan. Ultimately, Union Minister Giriraj Singh was re-elected from the constituency whereas Hassan and Kumar stood second and third respectively. 

The Assembly seats of Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur will go to the polls on October 30 whereas the counting of votes will take place on November 2. After RJD refused to let Congress contest from Kusheshwar Asthan, the latter fielded its candidates on both seats going to the polls. Speaking to the media on October 18, AICC Bihar in-charge Bhakt Charan Das hinted that RJD had struck a deal with BJP. 

Predicting that the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led party will join hands with the saffron party after the Bihar bypolls, Das added, "The Left, RJD and Congress were united on the secular ideology. Now you have moved away from this ideology. Whom have you struck a deal with? If you don't need our 19 MLAs, whose support have you secured? You required the support of our 19 MLAs to form a government."