SP unit chief calls Nitish ‘Hitler’, to fight all seats
Ramchandra said there was no possibility of reconciliation with Maha Gathbandhan.
PATNA: Ignoring the efforts of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav to pacify Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav (MSY) so that the Mahagathbanhdan remains intact, the state unit of SP on Monday announced its decision to contest all 243 seats in ensuing Bihar assembly elections.
State SP president Ramchandra Yadav made an announcement to this effect after a meeting of the executive committee and district presidents of the party here. "There is no point in discussing the past. Our leaders have taken a call to part ways with Mahagathbandhan and we have decided to contest all the 243 seats in the coming assembly election," he said. Ruling out any possibility of reconciliation, Ramchandra said the party can't compromise with honour and work with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who behaves like `Hitler'.
"Nitish is the only person responsible for division in the alliance. Till the time Mahagathbandhan had not projected him as its CM candidate, he remained very cordial towards Netaji, as MSY is known among his supporters, but the moment his name was announced he showed his true colour," said Ramchandra, adding that Nitish even humiliated Netaji by not meeting him even once during his Delhi visit.
"Nitish had time to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi whose party has always exploited the country in the name of secularism, but ignored a true socialist like Netaji under whose guidance both Nitish and Lalu started their political career during the time of Lohia and JP," Ramchandra added.
Referring to a query on possibility of formation of a third front in the state, Ramchandra said party leaders are exploring all options. "We are open for discussions with like minded parties and form a front that will give tough fight to communal (NDA) and dishonest (Mahagathbandhan) forces in the state," he said. The state SP chief also ruled out any blackmail tactics of BJP behind SP's decision of moving out of Mahagathbandhan. He claimed that no leader in BJP has guts to blackmail or dictate terms to Netaji.: Ignoring the efforts of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav to pacify SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for keeping the Maha Gathbanhdan intact, SP's Bihar unit on Monday announced it would contest all 243 seats in the assembly elections.
State SP president Ramchandra Yadav said after a meeting of the executive committee and district presidents that there was no possibility of reconciliation with the Maha Gathbandhan.
Accusing Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar of 'behaving like Hitler', Ramchandra held him responsible for SP's exit from the alliance. "Till the time Maha Gathbandhan had not projected him as its CM candidate, he remained very cordial towards Netaji (Mulayam Singh), but the moment his name was announced he showed his true colours," he said, adding that Nitish humiliated Netaji by not meeting him during his Delhi visit.
State SP president Ramchandra Yadav made an announcement to this effect after a meeting of the executive committee and district presidents of the party here. "There is no point in discussing the past. Our leaders have taken a call to part ways with Mahagathbandhan and we have decided to contest all the 243 seats in the coming assembly election," he said. Ruling out any possibility of reconciliation, Ramchandra said the party can't compromise with honour and work with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who behaves like `Hitler'.
"Nitish is the only person responsible for division in the alliance. Till the time Mahagathbandhan had not projected him as its CM candidate, he remained very cordial towards Netaji, as MSY is known among his supporters, but the moment his name was announced he showed his true colour," said Ramchandra, adding that Nitish even humiliated Netaji by not meeting him even once during his Delhi visit.
"Nitish had time to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi whose party has always exploited the country in the name of secularism, but ignored a true socialist like Netaji under whose guidance both Nitish and Lalu started their political career during the time of Lohia and JP," Ramchandra added.
Referring to a query on possibility of formation of a third front in the state, Ramchandra said party leaders are exploring all options. "We are open for discussions with like minded parties and form a front that will give tough fight to communal (NDA) and dishonest (Mahagathbandhan) forces in the state," he said. The state SP chief also ruled out any blackmail tactics of BJP behind SP's decision of moving out of Mahagathbandhan. He claimed that no leader in BJP has guts to blackmail or dictate terms to Netaji.: Ignoring the efforts of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav to pacify SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for keeping the Maha Gathbanhdan intact, SP's Bihar unit on Monday announced it would contest all 243 seats in the assembly elections.
State SP president Ramchandra Yadav said after a meeting of the executive committee and district presidents that there was no possibility of reconciliation with the Maha Gathbandhan.
Accusing Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar of 'behaving like Hitler', Ramchandra held him responsible for SP's exit from the alliance. "Till the time Maha Gathbandhan had not projected him as its CM candidate, he remained very cordial towards Netaji (Mulayam Singh), but the moment his name was announced he showed his true colours," he said, adding that Nitish humiliated Netaji by not meeting him during his Delhi visit.
"Nitish had time to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi whose party has always exploited the country in the name of secularism, but ignored a true socialist like Netaji under whose guidance both Nitish and Lalu started their political career during the times of Lohia and JP," Ramchandra added.
Bihar may have new assembly before Diwali; 5-phased poll likely from mid-October
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad wave hands to the crowd during JD(U)'s rally in Patna.
NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission set to announce polls in Bihar, indications are that the state will have a new assembly in place before Diwali, which falls on November 11 this year.
According to sources involved in discussions with the EC on force logistics, polling may be held over five phases starting in the second week of October and ending in the first week of November.
READ ALSO: SP unit chief calls Nitish 'Hitler', to fight all seats
Depending on the results, it might be either a cheerful or cheerless Diwali for main combatants RJD-JD(U)-Congress and the rival BJP-led alliance locked in a keen contest being seen as a major test for NDA and its "secular" opponents.
The state results can have a bearing on the government's efforts to push reforms through Parliament where a bitter deadlock has stalled the GST and land bills with Congress opposing the measures over its demand for the resignation of senior BJP members over alleged corruption cases.
The polls will be conducted under a thick security blanket with as many as 50,000 central paramilitary forces likely to keep watch. Intelligence reports indicate possible law and order situations on account of the keenly-fought battle, which the EC has taken note of and has sought adequate forces to ensure a free and fair poll.
READ ALSO: BJP Par Board to decide on issue of Bihar CM candidate
TOI has learnt that the full commission is likely to finalize the Bihar poll dates at its meeting on Tuesday, paving the way for announcement of the much-awaited democratic exercise. While the tenure of the Bihar assembly ends on November 29, the onset of Diwali festivities on November 9, followed by the major festival of Chhath - widely observed in Bihar -- on November 17-18, has left little scope for extending polling beyond these dates.
A commission official had earlier indicated to TOI that the poll watchdog would give a week or two for government formation. Thus, there is little chance of polling stretching until after Chhath festivities. Indications are that counting may be held in early November, and the poll exercise completed well ahead of Diwali.
READ ALSO: Bihar polls: Another Lalu centric election?
In case Bihar polls are declared in the next few days, the gap between their announcement and first phase of polling may be just about a month. The EC has of late compressed the interval between announcement of the poll and start of polling.
In the last general election, while the announcement was made on March 5, 2014, the first phase of polling was scheduled for April 7. Similarly, in the Delhi assembly polls held earlier this year, there was a 26-day gap between announcement on January 12 and polling on February 7. Even the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections were announced on September 12, 2014, and polling held in a single phase on October 15, 2014.
Complete coverage: Bihar assembly polls
The smaller gap between the announcement and actual poll ensures a lesser period of enforcement of the model code of conduct, which restricts the government from taking key policy decisions.
According to sources involved in discussions with the EC on force logistics, polling may be held over five phases starting in the second week of October and ending in the first week of November.
READ ALSO: SP unit chief calls Nitish 'Hitler', to fight all seats
Depending on the results, it might be either a cheerful or cheerless Diwali for main combatants RJD-JD(U)-Congress and the rival BJP-led alliance locked in a keen contest being seen as a major test for NDA and its "secular" opponents.
The state results can have a bearing on the government's efforts to push reforms through Parliament where a bitter deadlock has stalled the GST and land bills with Congress opposing the measures over its demand for the resignation of senior BJP members over alleged corruption cases.
The polls will be conducted under a thick security blanket with as many as 50,000 central paramilitary forces likely to keep watch. Intelligence reports indicate possible law and order situations on account of the keenly-fought battle, which the EC has taken note of and has sought adequate forces to ensure a free and fair poll.
READ ALSO: BJP Par Board to decide on issue of Bihar CM candidate
TOI has learnt that the full commission is likely to finalize the Bihar poll dates at its meeting on Tuesday, paving the way for announcement of the much-awaited democratic exercise. While the tenure of the Bihar assembly ends on November 29, the onset of Diwali festivities on November 9, followed by the major festival of Chhath - widely observed in Bihar -- on November 17-18, has left little scope for extending polling beyond these dates.
A commission official had earlier indicated to TOI that the poll watchdog would give a week or two for government formation. Thus, there is little chance of polling stretching until after Chhath festivities. Indications are that counting may be held in early November, and the poll exercise completed well ahead of Diwali.
READ ALSO: Bihar polls: Another Lalu centric election?
In case Bihar polls are declared in the next few days, the gap between their announcement and first phase of polling may be just about a month. The EC has of late compressed the interval between announcement of the poll and start of polling.
In the last general election, while the announcement was made on March 5, 2014, the first phase of polling was scheduled for April 7. Similarly, in the Delhi assembly polls held earlier this year, there was a 26-day gap between announcement on January 12 and polling on February 7. Even the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections were announced on September 12, 2014, and polling held in a single phase on October 15, 2014.
Complete coverage: Bihar assembly polls
The smaller gap between the announcement and actual poll ensures a lesser period of enforcement of the model code of conduct, which restricts the government from taking key policy decisions.