Patna, Sep 22: The Congress is set to contest only the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency in the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections for eight Graduate and Teachers’ seats, amid efforts to maintain coordination with its alliance partner RJD.
The reported decision follows directions from the Congress central leadership to maintain alliance coordination. The development comes after the RJD announced candidates for six of the eight seats, prompting differences over seat-sharing within the opposition alliance.
Former Bihar Congress president and sitting MLC Dr Madan Mohan Jha is expected to contest from the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency. The seat has been represented by Jha, while the RJD has not announced a candidate for the constituency.
Congress state spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwary said the party would follow the directions of its central leadership.
“We will work according to the high command’s instructions,” Tiwary said.
He also described Darbhanga Teachers as a traditional Congress seat and said the party’s contest from the constituency was certain.
“Darbhanga Teachers is a traditional Congress seat and contesting the election is certain,” he said.
The RJD has announced six candidates — Dr Sanjeev Kumar Singh from Patna Teachers, Dilip Kumar from Patna Graduates, Nitesh Kumar from Kosi Graduates, Anil Kumar Jha from Darbhanga Graduates, Prof Jairam Yadav from Saran Teachers and Dr Rashmi Vinayak Gautam from Tirhut Graduates.
The party has so far left the Darbhanga Teachers and Tirhut Teachers constituencies without candidates. The two seats were represented by alliance partners, according to reports.
The seat-sharing issue had earlier led to differences between Congress and RJD, with Congress objecting to the RJD’s announcement of six candidates without prior consultation. The Congress had subsequently indicated that it could contest all eight seats.
The Election Commission has scheduled polling for the eight Bihar Legislative Council constituencies on October 23, with counting to be held on October 27. The eight seats comprise four Graduate and four Teachers’ constituencies.
With Congress now preparing to contest Darbhanga Teachers, the alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement for the remaining constituencies is likely to remain a focus as the election process progresses.
