Express News Service
PATNA: Nitish Kumar-headed JD(U) has finalised the seats on which its candidates will contest the upcoming assembly elections both in Assam and West Bengal.
The JD(U) is entering the polls alone and is set to face its ally, the ruling party BJP in Assam.
Meanwhile, the saffron party is in a head-to-head battle with the ruling party TMC in West Bengal.
The announcement to contest in the Assam and West Bengal Assembly elections was made soon after its six MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh defected to the BJP.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, in-charge of north east states of JD(U), Sanjay Verma said that his party will go to the polls alone and concentrate not only on the Hindi-speaking belts in Assam and West Bengal but also in the minority-dominated areas with Nitish Kumar’s model of good governance.
“The number of seats have been finalised for Assam and West Bengal. 32 seats in Assam and 22 seats in West Bengal will be contested by the JD(U) candidates. The names of candidates have also been finalised,” Verma said.
Shravan Kumar, Bihar minister of Rural development and a close political aide of CM Nitish Kumar along with party MLC Gulam Rasul Baliyavi are scheduled to visit Guwahati on March 5.
“They will address the party’s first meeting at Loharighat block maidan in Moregaon in Assam — about 120 km from Guwahati on March 6 and chair the meeting of party leaders on March 7 at Guwahati”, Verma said.
He added, “As the railway minister, Nitish Kumar had constructed two railway lines of 120 km and 65 km in the areas of Morigaon and Navgaon,which the poor and working class people of that areas still remembers, even today, the said rail line is a life line for the poor peoples and labourers who travel for livelihood,” Verma said.
He claimed that the people living in 32 constituencies, including Loharighat, Samaguri, Ruphar and others, are impressed with the performances of the Bihar CM. “Our party has face of CM Nitish Kumar and his model of good governance that has been widely acknowledged,” he said.
The Har Ghar Jal Nal yojna, the success of Prohibition of liquor and many other development works started under the 7-Resolves part-I and II are the examples on which electorates in Assam and West Bengal will endorse the party candidates,” Verma said.
He said that Nitish Kumar still owes a deep influence and trust among the labourers working in Assam’s tea garden and Bihari labourers will have a chance to vote their choice of leader in the northeastern state.
On being asked, if the JD(U) would give a friendly fight to the BJP candidates in both the states, Verma said that the party is going to contest the polls on its own political ideologies without considering friendly or unfriendly fights.
“Our USP is works of development with justice to all, good governance, women empowerment and others that will decide the results,” he claimed.