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As election season draws near electoral alliances are being stitched up. Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD supremo Lalu Parasd Yadav’s meeting with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in the capital today, made a prepoll alliance between the Congress and the RJD in Bihar appear imminent.
Yadav had met the Congress President Sonia Gandhi a few days back and although she is said to be keen on an alliance, Rahul Gandhi is said to be hesitant on it. Lalu Yadav’s recent conviction in connection with the fodder scam Gandhi feels would make the Congress a target for the Opposition especially as Rahul Gandhi has been playing the anti- corruption card of late.
However the bleak electoral prospects of the Congress in Bihar should it go alone in the state in the polls, say political observers could compel the Congress to stitch the alliance with RJD and LJP.
What is also weighing in favour of such an alliance is electoral track record: in 2004 when they had a pre-poll alliance, together they won 29 seats.
In 2009, when talks of an alliance broke down, RJD could win only four seats in Bihar, Congress two and LJP failed to open its account.
