Tejashwi Yadav, while participating in the Opposition INDIA bloc’s meeting on seat-sharing, announced that an agreement had been reached within Bihar’s INDIA bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav attended a meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday and disclosed that consensus had been achieved regarding seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.
Yadav further indicated that an official announcement regarding the agreement is expected soon in Patna.
The meeting was convened at the residence of Congress leader Mukul Wasnik in Delhi, with the presence of state Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh and state in-charge Mohan Prakash.
Post-meeting, Yadav stated that his party, along with the Congress and the Left, will contest the Lok Sabha polls jointly in Bihar. He added that the INDIA bloc partners have informally agreed on the seat-sharing arrangement, ensuring a fair deal for all constituents.
Yadav’s remarks come amidst reports of discord within the INDIA bloc in Bihar regarding seat allocation.
There were previous indications of dissatisfaction within the Congress over the RJD’s unilateral declaration of candidates for certain constituencies that the Congress also sought to contest in Bihar.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that discussions are ongoing, and another meeting scheduled for Wednesday might finalize the arrangement.
The camaraderie between former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was evident during the first INDIA bloc meeting. During a lighter moment, Yadav playfully suggested that Rahul Gandhi should shave his beard and tie the knot.
The banter continued, with Rahul Gandhi humorously accepting cooking lessons from Lalu Yadav at his daughter Misha’s residence in Delhi.
On a different note, the BJP recently unveiled its list of 111 more Lok Sabha poll candidates. Notably, Union ministers Ashwini Kumar Choubey and VK Singh, along with MP Varun Gandhi, were dropped from the list. The party included actors Kangana Ranaut and Arun Govil as candidates.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan is set to contest from Sambalpur, while party spokesperson Sambit Patra will try his luck again from Puri after a narrow defeat in 2019.
Former Union minister Anantkumar Hegde, a six-term Lok Sabha member from Uttara Kannada, was omitted from the list this time. Known for his hardline Hindutva stance, Hegde has often stirred controversies with his statements, including advocating for amendments to the Constitution.