Knives out in Cong after party fares badly in Bihar (Analysis)

BY SYED MOZIZ IMAM New Delhi/Patna, Nov 11 : The Congress, which contested the Bihar Assembly polls on 70 seats, has failed to even reach its last performance figure of 27. After the 19-seat win, the Congress leaders are upset with state in-charge Shakti Singh Gohil and Avinash Pandey, who was the chairman of the screening committee.
Former Minister in Bihar, Shakiluzaman Ansari is the first one to attack the central leaders, who were involved in the Bihar elections. He said, “They did not listen to the state leaders and kept the leadership in the dark on the tie-up. They even conceded those seats to the RJD, which could have been won by the Congress and also our strong candidates were denied ticket.
“Avinash Pandey, Chairman of the screening committee, only did whatever he thought and completely ignored suggestions. There was no meeting of the PEC,” blamed the Congress leader.
The Congress mainly got the seats from those seats where it was in direct contest against the BJP. He blamed that even caste equation was ignored during ticket the distribution and the Muslims and the OBCs were totally taken for granted and ignored.
He said that though Congress got 70 seats to contest, but the umbrella alliance with the RLSP, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM) and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) could have been stitched in a better way and the Grand Alliance could have won more seats. But both the RJD and the Congress leaders were arrogant in seat sharing and the selections of the candidates. Now the NDA has HAM and VIP which has catapulted them to power again.
The Congress, which had a chance to stop the BJP in Bihar, has lost an opportunity, said Ansari.