New Delhi: Amid grand alliance in Bihar landing in troubled waters, the state health minister Mangal Pandey took a swipe at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress saying they ‘lack the intention to work together’.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Pandey stated people have rejected the grand alliance. He added, "They (RJD and Congress) lack coordination. Ahead of the elections (by-polls), they are fighting amongst themselves. They lack the intention to work together. Politically, they want to use each other. People have been seeing this and they have rejected this alliance not only once but multiple times.”
Predicting the coalition’s failure in the state, Mangal Pandey said, "Whatever efforts are being made by Lalu ji, nothing is going to change in Bihar. Their alliance cannot do anything."
Pandey’s remark comes in the backdrop of Congress and RJD breaking off the alliance ahead of the by-polls in Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) and Tarapur Assembly constituencies in Bihar on October 30.
Attacking Congress, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had earlier said that RJD’s candidates would lose their deposit in the bypolls if they continue to be in alliance with the grand old party in the state.
Changing tune on Tuesday, the RJD chief said that his party has always supported Congress in every situation. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had dialed Yadav on Tuesday amid the ongoing tensions.
Yadav said that he told Sonia Gandhi to form a strong alternative to BJP at the national level politics. “I spoke to Sonia Gandhi. She asked me about my well-being and whereabouts. I said, I'm fine, your party is an all India party so get all like-minded people and parties together to form a strong alternative (to ruling party) and call a meeting of all people,” the former Bihar CM said.
The RJD and the Congress had fought the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls as coalition partners. RJD emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats, while Congress bagged 19 of the 70 seats it had contested in the 243-seat Bihar Legislative Assembly.
(With agency inputs)
