Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday threw down the gauntlet and unilaterally announced a JD (U) candidate from Arunachal Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Nitish announced the party candidate from Arunachal a day before the Congress national alliance committee meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, thus taking the apparent lack of trust between both parties to the next level.
The committee has been constituted to facilitate seatsharing talks with INDIA bloc allies. According to a press release issued by JD (U) general secretary and MLC Afaque Ahmad Khan, the party will field Arunachal Pradesh party president Ruhi Tangung from Arunachal West constituency. There are two Lok Sabha constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh.
When approached for his response, AICC in-charge of Bihar Mohan Prakash contended that it would not have any impact on the alliance, and refused to say anything more.
Cong likely to take up issue in alliance committee meeting
Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said that the party was likely to take up the issue of JD (U) naming its LS candidate in Arunachal Pradesh in the alliance committee meeting. Nitish`s patience is apparently running out as he had not been given any major responsibility in INDIA so far and not even Congress and RJD chief Lalu Prasad had taken any initiative to take push his case effectively.
Will all the allies agree?
Although Congress claims it has no objection to Nitish being appointed INDIA convener, it also has to ascertain if all the allies of the alliance would agree as well. Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said that the next date of the opposition INDIA alliance`s meeting would be decided soon, after discussions among alliance leaders.
Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh contended that Nitish could not be unhappy with INDIA as he had brought all the opposition parties together. His remark came amid speculation that Nitish would be appointed INDIA convener soon.
