New Delhi: Bihar Assembly elections are likely to be held in November for 243 seats. On the issue of ‘vote theft’, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took out a voter rights tour in several districts of Bihar from August 17 to September 1. According to party insiders, the feedback of the tour has been positive. Congress is now preparing to capitalize on the success of this tour in the elections.
Rahul Gandhi will review the strategy for contesting elections in Bihar with senior leaders on September 15. First of all, the focus will be on the 70 seats on which elections are likely to be contested. In the last assembly elections of 2020, Congress contested the same number of seats, but won only 19. Unlike 2020, this time the Congress is focusing on those seats where it is confident of victory. It is also ready to leave some seats for the alliance if needed.
According to party sources, over 1,500 applications have been received for the 70 seats, indicating enthusiasm among Congress workers. Over the past few weeks, AICC screening committee members Imran Pratapgarhi, Praniti Shinde and Kunal Choudhary and other senior leaders held one-on-one meetings with most applicants to assess their claims.
The number of seats and the feedback received from the screening committee members will be discussed in the September 15 meeting, for which Rahul has clear instructions that tickets will be decided only on merit and no recommendation from any senior leader will be considered.
Sushil Pasi, AICC secretary in-charge of Bihar, told ETV Bharat, “We have received around 1,500 applications. We have personally interviewed most of the applicants. This is because the workers are extremely excited about the party’s prospects. We have been told by the high command that only merit will be considered in ticket distribution and no recommendation will be considered. Issues related to the upcoming elections will be discussed on September 15.” Pasi said that Krishna Allavaru, the AICC in-charge of Bihar, appointed in February, had made it clear to party workers in his first visit that those who rush to Delhi for tickets will not get any benefit. Because, as the elections come closer, only those people will be given priority who have been loyal to the party and work on the ground.
The screening panel will start shortlisting the names of candidates after September 15, which will be sent to the Central Election Committee for final approval. According to party insiders, the scenario after Rahul’s visit to Bihar offers a very good opportunity for the Congress to significantly increase its 6 percent vote share in 2020.
AICC functionary Chandan Yadav told ETV Bharat, “Candidate selection is important for this. Apart from the reality of social engineering in Bihar politics, the right candidate will make a big difference this time.”
Party insiders further said that the Bharatiya Janata Party will have to keep an eye on how the NDA runs its political programs in the coming weeks to counter the vote stealing yatra of the opposition. The Congress, RJD and Left parties are already planning to hold voter contact programmes in their respective strongholds.
Chandan Yadav spoke of women being mistreated during the NDA bandh over alleged abuses against PM Modi. “By calling for a Bihar bandh and by indulging in hooliganism, hooliganism and criminal behaviour, the saffron party has hurt and harassed lakhs of Biharis by beating, pushing, abusing and preventing pregnant women from reaching hospitals. Because of this, the BJP has turned lakhs of people against it. If it organises such a bandh again, the Mahagathbandhan will not even need to campaign,” said Chandan Yadav.
