Laloo forcing alliance: Cong

PATNA, May 18: Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee BPCC chief Sarfaraz Ahmed today said that the Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD president Laloo P...

PATNA, May 18: Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee BPCC chief Sarfaraz Ahmed today said that the Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav was trying to 8220;force an alliance8221; on the party for contesting the by-elections to seven assembly seats slated for June 3.

BPCC chief alleged the RJD supremo was spreading the 8220;canard8221; that the party had left the Sheikhpura seat for the Congress and in return 8220;we have decided not to contest the Pupri and Raghopur seats8221;. 8220;In fact, Yadav is hellbent upon having electoral ties with the Congress and that is why he is making all kinds of baseless statements,8221; Ahmed added.

Ahmed said that the Congress Working Committee CWC had decided to contest the forthcoming by-polls in different parts of the country including Bihar on its own since the alliances 8220;did not work8221; during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

The CWC has finally decided to 8220;severe ties with the RJD8221; Ahmed said, adding 8220;we are contesting the by-polls on our own and there isno truth in the allegations of Bihar Jan Congress BJC that there is tacit understanding between the Congress and the RJD for the seven seats8221;.

The BPCC chief said the party would petition the Election Commmission to ensure free and fair elections 8220;as it did in the case of Patna Lok Sabha seat on March 308221;.

BPCC today held a meeting of senior party leaders, MLAs, AICC members and workers of Youth Congress to review the poll scenario and ensure the victory of party candidates in the by-elections.

The party is contesting five of the seven seats that have fallen vacant due to election of sitting MLAs to Lok Sabha and killing of Samata Party nominee Devendra Dubey from Govindganj in Motihari district.

Story continues below this ad

Ahmed said he had deputed party workers to these constituencies to launch 8220;public relation campaigns8221; in favour of the party nominees.

Invitations had already been extended to senior party leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Madhav Rao Scindia and Rajesh Pilot to campaign in favour of the party nominees,he added.