Leaders of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar hold first meeting since

Leaders of the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar, the multi-party formation which suffered virtual obliteration in the Lok Sabha elections, on Tuesday held a meeting here in an apparent bid to pick up the threads in the state where assembly polls are due next year.

The grouping derives its name from the formation that met with spectacular success in the 2015 assembly polls but came apart following Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumars return to the NDA two years later.

It now comprises original constituents- Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress besides newer entrants- Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).

 

The meeting was held at the residence of RJD national vice president and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi where his son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, state unit chief Ram Chandra Purve and veteran leader Jagadanand Singh were among those present.

Congress was represented by its state unit president Madan Mohan Jha while Upendra Kushwaha, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahni founders of RLSP HAM and VIP respectively

were also present at the meeting.

This is the first occasion when Mahagathbandhan constituents leader have sat together since the drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls in which the coalition conceded 39 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to the BJP-led NDA which also includes Ram Vilas Paswans Lok Janshakti Party.

All eyes were on Manjhi, a former Chief Minister, who had recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the grand alliance and hinted that he might go it alone in the assembly polls.

Speculations had intensified in the aftermath of the HAM presidents meeting on Monday with firebrand leader Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav who got elected from Madhepura in 2014 on an RJD ticket but was sacked by its supremo Lalu Prasad shortly afterwards.

Yadav went on to float his own outfit Jan Adhikar Party and although his wife Ranjit Ranjan contested her sitting seat of Supaul on a Congress ticket, his own attempts to join the Mahagathbandhan failed for which he has been blaming Tejashwi Yadav.

Following his meeting with Manjhi, Yadav caused a flutter by advocating the formation of a Third Front to take on the seemingly invincible NDA and projection of Manjhi as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

Manjhi, however, attended the Mahagathbandhan meeting, which began late in the evening, but appeared to be in a sulk while replying to queries from reporters before the marathon session commenced.

It is too little, too late. We had conceded a lot of ground to the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls on account of our obvious inability to think on our feet. Even after the debacle, it took us so many months to hold our very first meeting.

"There is one Lok Sabha seat and at least five assembly segments where by-elections will be held latest by November. Do we show any signs of preparedness, Manjhi said.

He, however, declined to comment on speculations about his exit from the Grand Alliance saying our partys convention is scheduled in October. It will be an occasion to decide, among other things, whether to contest all the 243 assembly seats in the state.

During the general election,the Mahagathbandhan remained in news for the one-upmanship among the constituents.

Seat-sharing arrangements also remained a cause for bewilderment as the Congress the only constituent which did not draw a blank at the hustings was given a raw deal while an untested entity like VIP were treated at par with HAM much to Manjhis discomfiture.

Matters have become worse for the formation in view of the crisis in the Congress following Rahul Gandhis decision to step down as national president and the family drama in the RJD with Lalu Prasads three children active in politics

Tejashwi, elder brother Tej Pratap and eldest sister Misa Bharti remaining in hibernation for most of the time since the general elections.