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Patna, Oct 19 (IANS) Bihar leader Pappu Yadav, who merged his Jan Adhikar Party with the Congress last year, hit out at the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over the seat-sharing impasse in the Grand Alliance and held it responsible for the state’s defeat in the crucial electoral contest.
Six-time MP Pappu Yadav, speaking to IANS on Sunday, held the RJD squarely responsible for the impasse in the Grand Alliance and accused it of depriving Dalits and marginalized communities of the rights which are theirs.
The Purnia MP also advised RJD patron Lalu Prasad Yadav, saying, “Lalu ji, this is not right. You should follow coalition dharma. JMM should be included in the alliance.”
Furthermore, batting for the Hemant Soren-led JMM, he said that ‘coalition dharma’ should be respected in the alliance and the party should be allotted 3-4 seats. After being ignored in the alliance, JMM is considering contesting alone on six seats in the upcoming elections.
With nominations for the first phase of the assembly elections over and October 20 being the last date for withdrawal of nominations, the Grand Alliance is on the verge of breaking as an alliance is still not agreed upon, and the major parties are still at loggerheads on several fronts.
Hitting out at RJD, Pappu Yadav questioned the propriety of fielding a candidate in Lalganj constituency when a worthy candidate from the backward community had already been given the ticket by the Congress party.
“There can be no compromise with the interest of the extremely backward and Dalit community,” Yadav said, adding that no one can become chief minister without the support of the grand old party.
“Congress is following the dharma of coalition politics. We have given ticket to a candidate from a backward community in Lalganj. Why have they fielded a muscleman from the seat? How is this fair?” he asked.
Lalganj seat in Vaishali district came into limelight when both Congress and RJD candidates filed their nominations from this seat. While Congress has made Aditya Kumar its candidate, its alliance partner has made Shivani Shukla, daughter of powerful leader Munna Shukla, its candidate from the same seat.
–IANS
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