Spurned by RJD, Congress opts for solo run in Bihar council polls

Spurned by old ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has refused to share with the Congress any of the 24 Bihar Legislative Council seats for which elections are to be held, the All India Congress Committee on Saturday announced its first batch of eight candidates.RJD-Congress Ties at New LowThe RJD and the Congress parting company in the Bihar Legislative Council polls marks a new low in the Congress’ ties with the once-solid ally RJD, led by Lalu Prasad and his son. It also means Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s recent public show of solidarity with Prasad after his latest conviction in the corruption case didn’t move RJD emotionally or politically, beyond that customary “thank You Priynaka ji” retweet by Tejashwi Yadav.

The RJD’s decision to not accommodate the Congress even in a single of the 24 Council seats – of which the Yadavs allotted one seat to another ally– CPI-ML – for which the elected local panchayat members will form the electorate across Bihar, further advertises the Bihar party systematically distancing from the Congress after the latter’s gross underperformance sunk the RJD-Congress-Left Assembly poll fight against the BJP-JD(U) in November 2020.Cong To move SC Against EC OrderMeanwhile, the AICC observer in Manipur elections, Jairam Ramesh, said he would petition the Supreme Court against the Election Commission’s decision (by rejecting a Congress petition) which said the funds released by the (BJP-led) Manipur government to the banned Kuki National Organisation under the provisions of “Suspension of Operation” didn’t violate the model code of conduct. The Congress’ petition had contended that since payments under provision for “Suspension of Operation” resumed after a long time just ahead of polls, it amounted to violation of code of conduct.