Patna: Even as Congress is trying hard to regain its lost ground in Bihar, allies of the INDIA bloc have become cautious with the growing ambition of the grand old party before the state polls, scheduled to be held in October-November.
Congress is reportedly insisting on getting 70 seats as there are also speculations that the party may settle for fewer seats if it is offered the post of deputy chief minister, sources claimed.
Responding to Congress's demand of around 70 seats, CPI (ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said that Congress should be more realistic in seat sharing deal as it should focus more on winning seats and improving its strike rate. It will be in the interest of Congress as well as also of the INDIA bloc, he added.
On other hand, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said that Congress should remember that it could win only 19 out of 70 seats it contested in the last assembly polls, and hence it should be more realistic in its demand.
INDIA bloc`s small allies like CPI (ML) is demanding 40 seats while Mukesh Sahani`s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) wants 60 seats and also a post of deputy chief minister. Although the seat sharing deal is likely to be finalised after the Navratri (ending on October 2), Congress`s apparently tough stand on number of seats has made its other allies wary.
As a major organisation rejig, a young leader Krishna Allavaru was appointed as AICC in charge of Bihar in February this year followed by appointment of a Dalit leader and MLA Rajesh Ram next month in place of Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who belongs to politically dominant Bhumihar caste. Now, Congress is projecting Rajesh Ram as a prominent Dalit face of the party before polls. But Congress`s new found confidence is mainly attributed to Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra, that criss-crossed 25 districts of the state.
Underplaying the conflicting interests of the INDIA bloc`s allies, Congress leader Ram said that the final blueprint of the seat sharing had been finalised, and it would be put forth before everybody in the next meeting of the INDIA bloc`s allies.
On the reports of an RJD leader demanding Kutumba seat presently being represented by him, Ram said that everybody had the right to make a demand before his party leadership, adding that there was no need to speak on it before official announcement of seats.
