Congress not to contest MLC elections in Bihar

Patna: The Congress on Thursday decided not to contest the election for seven MLC seats in Bihar.

The decision was taken after a meeting of state leaders including Congress Legislature Party leader Ajit Sharma and state unit president Madan Mohan Jha.

“The number of Congress MLAs in Vidhan Sabha is not adequate. Hence, we have decided not to contest the MLC election,” Sharma said.

Jha said: “We have informed the political situation and current position of Congress party with the top leadership of the party.”

The Congress has 19 MLAs in the 243-member Assembly, whose members form the electoral college for the election of MLCs from the Assembly quota. One MLC seat requires the support of 31 MLAs.

Congress leaders, at present, claim that their party is not in Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, hence it is extremely difficult for them to arrange additional 12 votes.

The RJD has already announced it would contest on 3 MLC seats. The party had 76 MLAs in Bihar assembly and the Left’s 16 MLAs would support it. Even in recent days, the 5 MLAs of the AIMIM are also in close contact with RJD leaders.

The other four seats will go to the NDA where the JD-U and the BJP are contesting two seats each.

Following the decision of Congress, Pradhyuman Yadav who was expecting that Congress would field him, burst out against Sharma and Jha. He was supported by Khagaria MLA Chatrapati Yadav.