JD(U), RJD and Congress will defeat BJP in Bihar assembly bypoll: Nitish Kumar

Patna: Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), leader Nitish Kumar on Monday said the party would contest the bypoll for 10 assembly constituencies together with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“JD(U) state executive has taken a decision to fight the bypoll for 10 assembly seats next month together with RJD and Congress,” he said.

“The party has authorized state president Basistha Narayan Singh to initiate talks with parties opposed to the BJP to unitedly fight the bypoll in August end,” Kumar, former chief minister of Bihar said. He, however, said he is yet to hold talks with RJD president Lalu Prasad in this regard.

Bihar JD(U) president Singh separately told reporters about the decision to fight the bypoll with the RJD and the Congress.

He said there had been no talks with the RJD or the Congress on the subject including seats on which each parties would contest. “I am going to Delhi tonight and may talk to leaders of these parties,” he said.

RJD legislature party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui also favoured alliance of like-minded parties against BJP in the bypoll. “The RJD is against the BJP spreading its influence in Bihar and hence ready to join hands with like-minded parties to check there growth here,” Siddiqui told reporters.

Asked about the number of seats the party would contest and who would lead the alliance, Siddiqui said, “These are minor issues which can be sorted out once the alliance is forged.” BJP described the coming together of the JD(U), RJD and Congress as “unholy alliance” and said people would not accept them. “People of Bihar have already rejected these parties in the Lok Sabha election and hence there coming together against the BJP will yield no result,” senior BJP leader and leader of opposition in assembly Nand Kishore Yadav told reporters.

Courtesy: Live Mint