Friendly fights strain opposition unity in key assembly seats

Patna: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s rally at Bachhwara in Begusarai district on Saturday has brought to light the underlying differences within the Grand Alliance (GA), as parties weigh local dynamics in constituencies where “friendly fights” are underway.Indications suggest that Congress may have to take on the two-time sitting BJP MLA from Bachhwara, Surendra Mehta, largely on its own. Other GA partners appear to be tilting towards the CPI candidate in the same constituency.Bachhwara is among several seats witnessing such friendly contests between the Congress and the CPI, forcing allies including the RJD, CPI(ML) and CPI-M to choose sides based on local conditions. Congress has fielded Shiv Prakash Garib Das, while CPI’s nominee is Awadhesh Rai.The CPI and Congress are locked in similar contests in four constituencies going to polls in the first phase on Nov 6 – Bachhwara, Raja Pakar (SC), Rosera (SC) and Biharsharif. Another, Kargahar in Rohtas district, will vote in the second phase on Nov 11.On Friday, CPI(ML) state secretary Kunal clarified that his party would back the CPI candidate in Bachhwara. “However, the CPI(ML) will support Congress nominees at Biharsharif and Raja Pakar. There are some other constituencies where friendly fights are taking place. The CPI(ML) will decide on those later,” he said, adding that apart from a few such seats, opposition unity remains intact across the 243 assembly constituencies.CPI state secretary Ram Naresh Pandey welcomed CPI(ML)’s support for Awadhesh Rai in Bachhwara but urged it to reconsider its stance on the other three seats. “I appeal to the CPI(ML) to rethink its decision to support Congress nominees at Raja Pakar, Biharsharif and Kargahar in the interest of the Left bloc’s ideological unity,” Pandey said.Awadhesh Rai, a veteran Left leader, was the lone CPI MLA elected in 2010. He lost the seat to Congress stalwart Ramdeo Rai in 2015 and later to BJP’s Surendra Mehta by 484 votes in 2020. This time, Rai faces Shiv Prakash, son of Ramdeo Rai, in what is seen as a triangular contest.“Even the ground-level RJD cadre are supporting our candidate in Bachhwara,” said a CPI functionary, claiming that RJD’s incharge for the seat, Rupesh Kumar Yadav, had publicly urged party workers to back the CPI nominee after consulting the state party chief.