RJD rejects Congress’ allegation; rift widens in INDIA bloc

Pioneer News Service
Ranchi

A bitter blame game has erupted among INDIA bloc constituents following the defeat of Congress candidate Pranav Jha in the recent Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand, exposing growing tensions within the opposition alliance.

Soon after the results were announced, Jharkhand Congress in-charge K. Raju alleged that alliance partners Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPI(ML) had failed to support the Congress candidate, resulting in his defeat. Despite the Mahagathbandhan enjoying a numerical advantage in the Assembly, Congress nominee Pranav Jha lost the contest, while JMM candidate Baidyanath Ram and NDA-backed Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani emerged victorious.

Rejecting the allegations, RJD National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha election observer Bhola Yadav termed K. Raju’s remarks “unnecessary and unfortunate.” He said the Congress should introspect rather than blame its allies for the electoral setback.

Yadav asserted that RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party leader Tejashwi Yadav have always adhered to the principles of social justice and secularism and have never aligned with communal forces. He stressed that despite political and legal challenges over the years, the party had never compromised its ideological stand.

Defending the RJD’s role in the election, Yadav said the party leadership had directed all four RJD MLAs in Jharkhand to vote for the Congress candidate. As the party’s election observer, he claimed to have personally verified the ballots cast by the legislators and said all four had given their first-preference votes to Pranav Jha.

The RJD leader dismissed Congress’ allegations as baseless and an attempt to conceal its own shortcomings. He emphasized that the RJD has consistently stood by Congress during difficult political periods and maintained that the current controversy would not affect the alliance’s future.

Meanwhile, CPI(ML) has also rejected Congress’ allegations and instead questioned whether cross-voting had occurred within Congress itself. The Left party has demanded an inquiry into the entire episode and maintained that its MLAs had voted according to the alliance’s decision.

With Congress, RJD and CPI(ML) publicly trading charges, the Rajya Sabha poll outcome has triggered one of the most serious internal disputes within the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand, raising questions about trust and coordination among alliance partners ahead of future political battles