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Patna : With Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha fielding Akash Prasad Singh, 27, son of Congress state campaign committee chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, a former Union Minister, as the party candidate from Purvi Champaran parliamentary constituency in the 2019 LS polls, Congress workers are feeling embarrassed and crestfallen as it has led to allegations from several quarters that it was result of a deal. Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh, 69, is the BJP candidate from Purvi Champaran. Radha Mohan has won the seat 5 times.
Kushwaha, who is himself contesting from Karakat and Ujiarpur parliamentary constituencies, has, however, said that Akash is a member of his party and allegations are being levelled by those opposed to us. According to BPCC chief Madan Mohan Jha, the development concerns another party even if it happens to be one of the constituents of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). The Mahagathbandhan has allotted 5 seats to the RLSP.
The Congress has also been facing an embarrassing situation in Supaul parliamentary constituency in North Bihar where sitting MP Ranjeet Ranjan is in the fray, as an RJD worker filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate and the local unit asserted that he would withdraw only if her husband Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, sitting MP, withdrew from the contest against RJD nominee Sharad Yadav in Madhepura.
Congress workers most of them supporters of former Aurangabad MP Nikhil Kumar heckled top leaders at the Sadaqat Ashram, party’s state headquarters here, charging them with having sold out the interests of the party while negotiating seat-sharing arrangements and deciding candidates. AICC in-charge, Bihar, Shaktisinh Gohil and other senior party leaders faced the ire of angry workers at the Sadaqat Ashram where they had gathered to hold a meeting of the state election committee. They party workers were upset over the announcement of Upendra Kushwaha that he would seek re-election from Karakat in Rohtas district besides contesting from Ujiarpur in Samastipur district. With the Aurangabad seat going to HAM (S), Nikhil Kumar’s supporters wanted Karakat seat for him. Congress is contesting only 9 seats from Bihar in the 2019 LS polls.
A visibly embarrassed Gohil said the angry workers are like members of family and the party appreciates their sentiments. But he urged all the party workers to work for the Mahagathbandhan candidates.