Bihar Assembly elections | Praful Patel says NCP to contest solo, hits out at alliance partner for not offering any seat

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on October 13 said it will contest solo in the state instead of aligning with the Mahagathbandhan (mega alliance) after it was not allotted any seat by the RJD-Congress alliance with which it wanted to tie-up in the state.

Stating the reason for contesting alone in Bihar polls, NCP leader Praful Patel said that the party wanted to be part of Mahagathbandhan, but were not ceded a single seat by the opposition combine.

Patel said he had discussed the tie-up issue with Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Shaktisinh Gohil and RJDs Tejashwi Yadav, who is the face of the opposition alliance. "Yet, the Congress did not find it right to leave some seats for the NCP," he stated.

The former Union minister said the NCP had demanded only five seats, out of the total 243, as part of the possible understanding among parties.

@NCPspeaks ने बिहार निवडणूक स्वबळावर लढण्याचा निर्णय घेतला असल्याची माहिती खा. @praful_patel यांनी आज माध्यमांना दिली. भाजपा व जदयूचा मुकाबला एकत्र येऊन केला पाहिजे असे म्हणताना दुसरीकडे इतर पक्षांना महत्त्व न देण्याची काँग्रेसची भूमिका दुर्दैवी असल्याची खंत त्यांनी व्यक्त केली. pic.twitter.com/6I4pB7UQIn

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— NCP (@NCPspeaks) October 13, 2020

“On one hand, they say all should come together to face the BJP-JD(U) (in Bihar). But on the other, they do not give importance to other parties. This position of theirs is very unfortunate," Patel said, hitting out at the opposition alliance.

The NCP leader said 'Mahagathbandhan' parties should not blame others if they suffer losses in the polls.

On the issue of forming a coalition with Shiv Sena for the polls, former Union Minister and NCP leader Praful Patel said they had no discussion on an alliance and their party members wanted to contest solo.

Besides the Shiv Sena, the Sharad Pawar-led party is also an ally of the Congress in Maharashtra.

Earlier on Tuesday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut confirmed his party will contest 40-50 seats in the upcoming Bihar polls, but clarified no seat-sharing deal has been finalised with the NCP.

The Bihar Assembly polls will be held in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7, and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.