Samajwadi Party (SP), National Congress Party (NCP) and Samajwadi Janata Dal-Democratic will contest Bihar Assembly polls as the Third Front, SP General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav has said.
The Bihar polls, to be held in five phases, promises to be a fiery battle ground with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aiming for 160 seats for the National Democratc Alliance (NDA).
Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) had also announced its alliance with SP for Bihar elections. Thus, Owaisi’s MIM may also join the Third Front.
Poll pundits, however, say that this mobility in the non-BJP vote bank will only work in BJP’s favour.
But the party and its parent alliance cannot rest.
On Monday, BJP announced the first 43 candidates for the Bihar elections. Out of these, 19 candidates will contest in the first phase and 15 in the second phase.
On Wednesday, two BJP MLAs – Aman Kumar and Ajay Mandal – quit the party and met JD(U) Chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after they were denied a ticket to contest for the BJP.
Since BJP has left me in the cold I have to go to some party. I enjoy good relations with CM Nitish Kumar.
— Aman Kumar, MLA from Pirpainty (SC) in Bhagalpur
In what is considered to be a minor blow to the NDA, LJP General Secretary and MP Ramakishore Singh quit the party for similar reasons.
(With agency inputs)
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