Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, January 31
Pulling all the strings to take on BJP in the ensuing assembly elections, Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is roping in RJD for electoral support.
Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party will expand its base in West Bengal by extending support to the TMC headed by Mamata Banerjee in the assembly elections. Preliminary talks have started in Kolkata on Sunday between two senior RJD leaders and TMC leaders.
Two senior RJD leaders, Abdul Bari Sidiqqui, a former leader of opposition and Shyam Rajak, vice-president met Prashant Kishore, election planner hired by TMC in Kolkata on Sunday. The two leaders from Patna have been given an appointment by the chief minister of West Bengal at 11 am on Monday.
The two leaders told this correspondent over phone from Kolkata that negotiations are at primary stage and any concrete decision would be taken after meeting with Mamta Banerjee. When asked whether RJD would contest the assembly elections in West Bengal, the two leaders said: “We would submit our report to the party high-command and any decision would be taken by it. We would inform the leader of the opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav too.”
Prashant Kishore had talked to Tejashwi Yadav yesterday and requested him to send two leaders to Kolkata for talks with Mamata. TMC wants to utilise the support base of Lalu Prasad Yadav among the Muslims and Yadavas in the coming elections. Muslims constitute 30 per cent of the total electorate in West Bengal and play a major role in deciding the political fortunes of the candidates. In some of the constituencies like Murshibad, they constitute 51 per cent, North Dinajpur 50 per cent, Birbhum 37 per cent and South Parganas 36 per cent.
Akhilesh Prasad Yadav, president of Samajwadi party has declared SP support to TMC in the elections and announced he would campaign there. With the RJD too coming in support of Mamata Banerjee, the TMC can expect to have inroads into the Yadav vote bank.
Mamata Banerjee wants to keep her support base among the Muslims intact and expand it by including the Yadavs, who are considered trusted supporters of Lalu. In the constituencies adjoining Bihar and Jharkhand, there are many constituencies dominated by both Muslims and Yadavs.
Sidiqqui said they had come to Kolkata on the suggestion of Tejashwi Yadav with the approval of party president Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Though admitted in the AIIMS, New Delhi, Lalu is taking interest in political developments in West Bengal, according to Shyam Rajak. He said: “Lalu ji wants anti-BJP votes are not divided, hence RJD will support TMC.”
