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New alignments likely in Bihar

By K. Balchand

PATNA APRIL 21. The biennial elections to nine seats of the Bihar Legislative Council is so interestingly poised that there are hints of a new alignment of political forces, irrespective of results.

With 10 candidates in the fray, at stake is the unity of the NDA on the one hand while the secular forces seem to be placed no better.

The fight is for the last two seats for which the battle is among a candidate each of the RJD, the BJP and the JD(U). There is little doubt that four nominees of the RJD and one each of the Congress, the BJP and the Samata Party would be through in the first round for which one has to poll 24 first preference votes.

The BJP and the Samata are fighting on their joint steam while the other two constituents — Lok Janshakti Party and the JD(U) — buried their differences to put up a joint fight.

The RJD, initially, sought to take advantage of the differences between the LJP and the JD(U) but with the withdrawal of the LJP from the fray, a keen contest is in the offing.

The RJD chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav, decided to keep his candidate in the fray making it clear that the elections were an open battle between him and the trio of the Union Coal and Mines Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, the Union Labour Minister, Sharad Yadav, and the expelled RJD leader, Ranjan Prasad Yadav. The outcome would certainly leave its impact on either of the two sides.

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