Bihar Grand Alliance Infighting Erupts After Rajya Sabha Poll Defeat
The simmering tensions within Bihar's opposition Grand Alliance burst into the open on Tuesday, just one day after the crucial Rajya Sabha polling. Congress legislators publicly blamed their ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), for what they described as fielding a "wrong candidate," a move that directly led to the opposition's unexpected and embarrassing defeat in the biennial election.
Congress MLAs Point Fingers at RJD Leadership
Surendra Prasad Kushwaha, one of the three Congress MLAs who deliberately abstained from voting on Monday, stated unequivocally that he chose not to participate because the RJD had made a poor strategic choice in selecting its nominee. He questioned why more suitable candidates like Deepak Yadav, the managing director of a sugar mill, or Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani were not chosen instead.
"The Mahagathbandhan had a better chance to win one seat in the election, so who could have been a better candidate than Deepak Yadav ji, and if not him, then Mukesh Sahani ji should have been given the opportunity," Kushwaha declared in a Hindi social media post. "But instead of giving them a chance, a person from such a community was made the candidate whose support base is against the Mahagathbandhan. I cannot support the NDA, and since RJD chose the wrong candidate, I thought it better not to vote at all."
Defending Abstention and Development Record
Kushwaha also mounted a vigorous defense against criticism of his abstention, highlighting his electoral achievements. "As for the allegations against me, I defeated the entire government machinery on the Chief Minister's most favored assembly seat (Valmiki Nagar) and won the assembly election," he asserted. "I am repaying the debt of the people's blessings by carrying out development works at the fastest pace. So when opponents cannot match this, they will resort to defaming."
Lack of Consultation Sparks Further Dissent
Another Congress MLA, Manoj Bishwas, who also skipped the voting, explained that his decision aligned with Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram's directive. The Forbesganj MLA revealed that the RJD had fielded Amrendra Dhari Singh, a Bhumihar candidate, without consulting the state Congress leadership, a breach of alliance protocol.
"The RJD did not consult our state president, Rajesh Ram. Therefore, Ram allowed us to make our own decision on whether to vote or not. Hence, I had decided not to vote in the Rajya Sabha election," Bishwas stated. He added pointedly, "If our leadership is not given due respect, how can we support the candidate?"
Campaign Dynamics and Absentee Impact
Interestingly, Amrendra Dhari Singh's campaign was spearheaded by senior Congress leader Akhilesh Singh, who also belongs to the Bhumihar community. However, this internal support did not prevent the defections. Besides Kushwaha and Bishwas, Congress MLA Manohar Prasad Singh and RJD legislator Faisal Rahman also remained absent from the voting, collectively costing the opposition the crucial numbers needed for victory.
Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, seized the opportunity to attack leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, accusing him of failing to build consensus or properly consult Congress leaders, further highlighting the leadership fissures.
Numbers Tell the Story of Defeat
The electoral mathematics starkly illustrates the consequence of this infighting. Singh required at least 41 votes for a comfortable win but managed to secure only 37. Assembly officials confirmed that had the four absent opposition MLAs voted, the Grand Alliance candidate would have reached the magic number of 41 and clinched the seat.
In contrast, all 202 NDA MLAs voted cohesively, while only 37 Grand Alliance legislators turned up. "Except for four absentees, no case of cross-voting was reported," an official noted, underscoring that the defeat was primarily due to abstentions rather than defections.
This public airing of grievances exposes deep-seated divisions within the Grand Alliance, raising serious questions about its unity and strategic coordination ahead of future electoral battles. The fallout from this Rajya Sabha election could have lasting implications for opposition politics in Bihar.
