Before Bihar elections 2025, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot reached Patna to resolve the seat dispute in the Grand Alliance. He met Lalu-Tejashwi and described the alliance as united and said that the issue of ‘friendly fight’ on some seats will be resolved soon.
Patna: Just before the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, Congress has fielded its most trusted and senior leader Ashok Gehlot to calm the infighting within the Grand Alliance. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Gehlot reached Patna on Wednesday, where he met RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav at their residence. This meeting lasted for about an hour. Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru was also present along with Gehlot.
Long meeting with Lalu-Tejashwi, said- “Grand alliance completely united”
This visit of Ashok Gehlot is being seen as an attempt to resolve the ongoing seat sharing dispute within the Grand Alliance. After the meeting, Gehlot said, “The grand alliance is completely united. A situation of friendly fight has definitely arisen on some seats, but it is not a big deal.” He said that there are 243 assembly seats in Bihar and such a large number sometimes creates some confusion, but everything will become clear in the next one or two days.
Situation of ‘friendly fight’ on 12 seats
In Bihar, there is a situation of ‘friendly fight’ on about 12 seats between the constituent parties of the grand alliance including Congress and RJD. That is, two parties of the same alliance have fielded their candidates. Gehlot told reporters, “Friendly fight on 5 to 10 seats is not a big deal. All issues will be resolved by the last date of withdrawal of nominations.”
Gehlot’s ‘damage control’ mission
In fact, in the last few days, tension had increased between Congress and RJD over many seats. Congress had expressed disagreement with RJD on some seats, while RJD had also clarified its position at some places. In such a situation, the Congress high command sent Gehlot to Patna and entrusted him with the responsibility of damage control.
Gehlot also met separately with Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Sanjay Yadav and Manganilal Mandal. According to sources, there was a long discussion in the meeting regarding seat coordination and campaign strategy.
Gehlot saved his point on the question on the post of Chief Minister
When journalists asked him whether the Congress was ready to accept Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial face from the Grand Alliance, Gehlot replied with a smile, “Why do you want me to make such an announcement?” Gehlot also said that after the defeat in Maharashtra, Bihar elections are very important for the opposition alliance and victory here will send a big message at the national level.
Congress in-charge said – direct fight against NDA
Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru also clearly said that there is no crisis of any kind between Congress and RJD. He said, “The fight on 243 seats in Bihar is direct. Grand alliance versus NDA. The confusion that is there on some seats will end soon.”
Will the dispute be resolved from Patna?
This is not the first time in Bihar politics that differences have emerged in the alliance just before the elections. But this time Gehlot’s activism and Lalu-Tejashwi’s meeting indicate that Congress will not allow this alliance to break under any circumstances. Now it remains to be seen whether the ‘friendly fight’ really ends by the last date of withdrawal of nominations or whether the ‘war of friends’ becomes the new election narrative in the field of Bihar.