- 15 hours ago
This edition of To The Point discusses the escalating political turmoil in Bihar over seat-sharing ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
Category
ЁЯЧЮ
NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with India Today and you are with To The Point where we bring you all the day's top stories and our special focus today.
00:11It is just three nights to go before the nomination deadline for the first phase ends for the Bihar elections or at least begins for the first phase of elections.
00:24Parties have already started preparing their lists, are even giving symbols to candidates but guess what? The alliance is still not done on both sides.
00:36The NDA was first of the market announcing the number of candidates for each party within their alliance but now some of the smaller parties are raising a flag of rebellion.
00:47The Mahagadbandhan is in an even more difficult position because we still don't even have a clue as to how the seats will be distributed between parties like the Rashtriya Janta Dal, the Congress and the CPI ML.
01:04Lots to talk about. The Bihar Maha mess is going to be our top focus on To The Point but first as always it's time for the big headlines at this moment.
01:15With the R elections just round the corner and the clock ticking, the Mahagadbandhan seat talks hit a roadblock.
01:25No end to the tussle between the Congress and the RJD over three seats.
01:30Still no idea whether the VIP or Vikashir Insan party will remain part of the alliance.
01:36Folk singer Maithi Thakur joins BJP in Patna will contest BR assembly elections from Alinagar in Darbanga district.
01:50Seat allocation within NDA still not resolved.
01:53A major twist in the Haryana top cop suicide case.
02:00Policemen investigating the corruption charges against the cop who died by suicide Puran Kumar also commit suicide in Rotak.
02:10Suicide note says Puran Kumar was exploiting casteism but was guilty of corruption.
02:16Bengal police rules out gang rape charges in the Durgapur case cites survivor's statement and physical evidence.
02:28Survivor claims after forced penetration accused threatened to call more men if she shouted.
02:33Ahead of Diwali, Delhi's air quality deteriorates further AQI of 211 recorded in National Capital Central Pollution Board imposes draft fund measures in National Capital Region.
02:49Top industrialists versus Sidharamaya Sarkar over brand Bengaluru Kiran Majumdar Shaw slams poor infra.
03:01Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shiv Kumar hits out, says Bengaluru's roads needs collective efforts, not constant criticism.
03:19The big story that's breaking at the moment is coming from Bihar with just three days to go before the nominations begin.
03:37There is complete chaos in both the major alliances.
03:41The latest is coming from the CPIML, a key ally of the opposition Mahagadbandan, which has released its first list of 18 candidates and then withdrawn them.
03:52Also reports now coming in that Jitin Ram Maji, a union minister and a former chief minister and an ally of the NDA, is upset and wants more seats.
04:03We are also told that Upendra Kuchwa, another NDA ally, is demanding more seats.
04:09So plenty of confusion, even as the BJP has announced its first list and the questions are being raised over what shape will the Bihar elections now take?
04:21What will be the new twist?
04:23Correspondents joining me, Piyush Mishra from Patna, Maushmi Singh from Delhi, Rohit Singh also from Patna.
04:31I want to turn to Maushmi Singh because there is a lot of confusion, Maushmi, particularly in the Mahagadbandan.
04:37The Congress and the RJD battling, we are told, over two or three seats, as a result of which no official announcements yet on candidates.
04:46Give us a sense of just how serious the divide is.
04:50Tejasvi Yadav came to Delhi yesterday, didn't meet Rahul Gandhi.
04:54What's going on?
04:55Clearly it is pretty serious, Rajdeep, because apparently Rahul Gandhi told the Bihar Congress leaders to strike a very hard bargain,
05:09refused to get into the micromanagement and left it to the leadership of Bihar and KC Venugopal.
05:15But Tejasvi was not happy with what the Congress was demanding and said that the alliance couldn't go forward like this
05:22because they were crossing the threshold of the 60-figure mark and wanting 65 seats.
05:28So there is a tussle over three, four seats and whether the Congress would want to bear the baggage of leftover seats
05:36to increase its tally, which the Congress is not interested in.
05:40And that's the difference of opinion that has resulted in a silence from both sides in the past 24 hours.
05:47Remember, Tejasvi left yesterday and there has been no communication between the two major allies since yesterday.
05:56Also, the reliability factor of Mukesh Sahani has been put under scanner by none other than the RJD,
06:03who has expressed that, you know, whether they should go ahead with Mukesh Sahani or drop him out.
06:10So a lot of, you know, confusion, a lot of tussle prevailing in this camp.
06:17Right now, I'm standing at the Congress, World Congress Office and the CEC is on.
06:22So despite the fact you don't know what seats you're bagging, the final CEC of the Congress Party being held here at 24 Akbar Road,
06:31attended by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on video conference, Rajdeep, and Mr. Kargan in person.
06:38It's very interesting.
06:39But I think that by late night today, there is some emissary that has been sent to Tejasvi Yadav.
06:47The Congress would want to reach out to him and get that final tally of 63 perhaps and get the ball rolling.
06:58There was even talk, Moshpi, of a possibility that Lalu Prasad may speak to Sonia Gandhi.
07:03Is that a rumor or is there some truth to that that now it may even have to escalate to the level of Lalu Prasad and Sonia Gandhi before it's finalized?
07:17Rajdeep, I don't really think so because, you know, even Rahul Gandhi, for that matter, had a telephonic conversation.
07:25And Mr. Kargan, I'm told today, refused to interfere with the micromanagement,
07:30putting Akhles Prasad Singh in charge of speaking to Tejasvi Yadav for that maneuvering of two, three seats.
07:38And those two, three seats are apparently traditional Congress bastions, Kehalgao, Narkatya Ganj and Vassalipur.
07:47These are the three seats that are in tussle.
07:50Congress feels it's really doing well there.
07:52The RJD feels that it's got a better chance.
07:55And on the other hand, the RJD feels cornered with Mukesh Sani just going on the run,
08:00distributing symbols on 10 seats that the RJD really feels it's strong.
08:05So, all is not well right now.
08:07There's a lot of mess created.
08:09But right now at the CEC and late-night maneuverings, perhaps some deal could be brokered
08:16because both of them understand the necessity of being with each other.
08:21Right.
08:21Okay, I'm going to go to Rohit Singh, who joins us, our Patna Bureau Chief.
08:28Rohit, give us a sense of, we are now being told, more breaking news coming in.
08:33Jitin Ram, Maaji, former Chief Minister and, of course, leader of his Hindustan Awam, Morcha,
08:40wants, has already announced his candidates for six seats.
08:43But ye dil maange more.
08:45We are told that every party wants more seats.
08:48There's talk of Upendra Kushwa, another NDA ally, asking for more seats.
08:53Is there a possibility even within the NDA camp that some of their smaller allies will
08:57have to be accommodated now with more seats?
09:00Well, there is a possibility, Rajdeep, that there could be a minor, you can say, changes
09:10as far as the seat-sharing formula is concerned.
09:12Because what we are learning from our sources is that the BJP is contemplating at this point
09:17of time of increasing one seat each of Maaji and Upendra Kushwaha.
09:23So if that happens, then who will be sacrificing those two seats?
09:27That remains a big question, but that still hasn't happened.
09:31That's only some reports that we are getting through our sources.
09:35But it has not been easy for the NDA also as far as the seat-sharing is concerned.
09:40Because the moment the seat-sharing was announced a couple of days back,
09:42Jitin Ram, Maaji was sulking, Upendra Kushwaha was sulking all day yesterday.
09:47And it's all because of Chirag Passwane getting the bigger slice of the cake, 29 seats.
09:53And the BJP realizes that.
09:56And today also we saw that Chirag Passwane staked claim on several sitting seats of the JDU,
10:01several seats of the BJP where it has a strong footprint.
10:05So that made life miserable for both BJP and Nitesh Kumar.
10:08But there were hectic negotiations and rounds of meeting that took place in Patna today,
10:13following which BJP was at least successful in mollifying Chirag Passwane.
10:19And in fact, BJP today released a list of 71 candidates of it for the first phase as well as the second phase.
10:28And now we are seeing that Jitin Ram, Maaji has also come out with his list of six candidates.
10:33So it's not been easy going as far as the seat-sharing and seat distribution is concerned,
10:38both for the NDA and Mahagat Bandhan.
10:41Rajdeep.
10:41Okay, let's go to Piyush Bishra because of the big flash of course coming in.
10:48Jitin Ram, Maaji has gone ahead and announced six candidates.
10:52Remember, six was what he was allocated initially.
10:55But now there is talk that some of the smaller parties,
10:58and this is the other piece of breaking news that we are getting,
11:00is that there is some concern even in the NDA camp over the smaller parties
11:07and how they will be accommodated, Upendra Kushwa and Jitin Ram, Maaji.
11:11We've also been told that there have been protests outside Nitish Kumar,
11:14Chief Minister's residence.
11:16Janata Dal United candidates are upset that Chirag Passwane
11:19has got some very winnable seats which they were expecting.
11:24Piyush Bishra joins us.
11:25Piyush, give us a sense.
11:26The two major parties in this NDA alliance are Nitish Kumar and BJP.
11:33But the BJP seems to be calling the shots and Nitish Kumar playing second fiddle.
11:38Is that acceptable to the Janata Dal United?
11:41Explain why were there protests outside Nitish's house today?
11:49Well, Rajdeep, there is a protest which is going on not only at Nitish Kumar's residence
11:54but also at BJP after the announcement of candidates on 71 seats.
11:59We saw a few MLAs, sitting MLAs are coming there.
12:02Their workers are protesting right at the BJP headquarters.
12:05And as far as Nitish Kumar's residence protest right in front of his residence is concerned,
12:11there are some MLAs who are not getting calls.
12:14They have not been allotted symbol and that's why they, along with their supporters,
12:19are reaching there at the sitting Chief Minister's residence
12:23and they are protesting because they are not being considered.
12:26So this we see every time during elections.
12:29But yes, there is a lot of confusion still prevailing in NDA camp also.
12:33And what we are learning is that there could be some switch of seats of parties.
12:39Though sources within the BJP have also told us that BJP is not going to decrease its seat.
12:47It is certainly going to fight 101 seats.
12:51Yes, there could be some sort of accommodation of seats between Chirak Paswan, Jitana Manji, and Upendra Koshwa.
12:57And like you rightly mentioned that, yes, Jitana Manji is seeking more seats.
13:01Why? Because he wants his party to be recognized.
13:03So a lot of hectic parlays are still underway.
13:0671 seats have been announced by BJP in its first list.
13:09Most likely by tomorrow, Rajdeep.
13:11We can expect a second list also to be announced by Bharatiya in the party.
13:18Okay, remember, you generally have this tug-of war in alliances before nominations.
13:24So this is part of the larger tug-of war.
13:26But because there are so many parties in the race, it becomes that much more difficult.
13:30I appreciate all my correspondents joining us.
13:33But let's turn to my colleague, Aishwarya, to Akshita Nand Gopal.
13:38Because Akshita is going to break this down for us in terms of combinations and permutations in a moment.
13:46Before that, let's go to my guest.
13:48Anshul Avjit joins me.
13:50He is Congress's spokesperson.
13:52Sanju Verma is BJP's spokesperson.
13:54Dr. Sanjay Kumar is spokesperson, JDU.
13:57And Dr. Naval Kishore is spokesperson, RJD.
13:59So all the four major parties, national and regional, in Bihar are joining us.
14:06I appreciate all of you joining us.
14:08I want to come one by one to each of you.
14:10Anshul Avjit, to you first.
14:11Because the real headache at the moment seems to be in the Mahagadbandan.
14:15The BJP has gone at least and announced 71 seats, including their candidates.
14:20The Congress is still having its CEC without clarity on how many seats you will contest.
14:25So there seems to be some confusion in the Mahagadbandan, which should have been settled surely days ago.
14:32It's all very last minute.
14:34This is not the real contest, whether they announced it a couple of hours earlier.
14:40And anyway, you saw, you know, the groaning and the grumbling within the NDA with tweets coming out.
14:45You know, Upendra Kishwar saying that,
14:47I will make Aasiana here where there is a storm.
14:49It's not an emphatic seal of approval in their camp either.
14:52It doesn't matter.
14:54You know, the real test, the real story is on 6th and 11th.
14:58Gadbandan politics is what it is.
15:01I mean, you said so yourself.
15:02It's not something that the Congress party or any other party is unfamiliar with.
15:06It has its due process.
15:08Yes, there have been delays.
15:09Yes, there are bottlenecks.
15:11But eventually it will be resolved.
15:13The CEC is going on right now.
15:15I'm not going to preempt what they're going to say.
15:17But they're going to decide and conclude before the nomination's date ends.
15:21Yes, you know, I mean, I'm sure the candidates are waiting with bated breath and their levels
15:27of nervousness must be increasing.
15:29But there's no nervousness on the party on the whole.
15:31We are mature players.
15:32We've gone and seen this before.
15:34We can handle it.
15:35No, no, no.
15:35You know, you're making it sound.
15:38No, no.
15:38Anshul Avjit.
15:39Anshul Avjit, can you tell me how many seats the Congress is going to contest?
15:43Last time you contested 70.
15:45There's no clarity.
15:47You're saying there.
15:48I'm there.
15:49I'm asking you for some clarity.
15:51Therefore, how many seats are you going to contest?
15:54The CEC is going on right now.
15:57The clarity will emerge.
15:58I am not going to second guess what they are going to say or conclude.
16:02That is why it's being held.
16:04They're empowered to make those decisions.
16:05Look, I'll tell you one thing.
16:07It's not a question of it's also a question of number of seats, because forgoing seats for
16:11the Congress or any other party, you know, means that you are compromising on your
16:16political interest.
16:16We don't want to compromise on the political interest while maintaining also the integrity
16:23of the Mahagatbandhan.
16:24That remains our primary goal.
16:27You know, there is a politics of compromise, of consensus, and also a politics of sacrifice.
16:33We've done it time and again.
16:35We can do it again.
16:36But it has to be in the larger interest of the Ghatbandhan.
16:39We will work accordingly and it will be resolved in a matter of hours.
16:43Okay.
16:47You're saying it will be resolved in a matter of hours.
16:49As I said, there and there.
16:51Dr. Naval Kishore, spokesperson, RJD.
16:53Can you explain?
16:55Is it that the RJD wants now to virtually call all the shots?
16:59There is also concern that one of your allies, the VIP, is even threatening to walk out of
17:05this alliance.
17:05They want more seats.
17:06This is Mukesh Sani's party and for viewers who want to understand VIP politics, this is
17:11a party primarily of the Malla community, important, influential, extremely backward caste.
17:20I want to understand from you, is this Maha Ghatbandhan intact or not?
17:24Or is the Maha Ghatbandhan going to split soon?
17:28Intact hai?
17:31Rajdeep, one thing is true and fact that Maha Ghatbandhan is purely intact and united on
17:40one issue that we are going to throw off a government which has been destroying everything of Bihar
17:46and it is creating a situation where all kind of migration, migration for employment, migration
17:52for education, migration for health, there is no issue of industrial development, all
17:58kind of problem we have seen and we have already shown to the people and people have accepted
18:03that we have given jobs.
18:06Now we won't be hard to develop in a particular way where there are all kind of...
18:10No, no, the fact, this is your agenda.
18:12Today's subject, we will discuss your agenda.
18:15I am asking you a basic question of your alliance.
18:18The voters of Bihar want to know whether the...
18:21If at the last moment y'all are fighting for every seat with each other, how will you provide
18:27a stable government?
18:31No, Rajdeep, we are not fighting for seats.
18:34We are preparing for the best win that Bihar people will see in the time to come.
18:39And for that, we have to discuss seat by seat.
18:42How can we defeat a party which is trying to manipulate mandate right from...
18:48You leave a part, leave a part election commission, leave a part all kind of agencies.
18:53They are also trying to manipulate the mandate by putting thousand rupees into the accounts
18:58of women who have seen their son unemployed, who have sent their husband, whose husband has
19:05been forced to migrate to do work in the other states and so many problems in their own life.
19:1165% women are anemic.
19:12So, to that particular community, they want to manipulate their mandate.
19:18They want to copy out agenda like 125 unit of electricity and all those kind of things.
19:24Okay, you are saying, you are saying manipulate...
19:26We want the people to believe that this government is trying...
19:28Navalkishwarji, Navalkishwarji, I get your point.
19:31Sanju Verma, be just a little patient because I want to explain to our viewers and then I want
19:35to come to you straight away.
19:37Explain to our viewers through Akshita Nand Gopal why it's such a tricky alliance on both sides.
19:42Remember, there are lots of players on both sides.
19:45Akshita will give us this explainer and then I'll come to you, Sanju Verma.
19:49Go ahead, Akshita.
19:50Tell us why Bihar is such a maha mess.
19:52So, let's break this down, Rajdeep.
19:55Focusing first on the NDA where you've got the numbers.
19:58How many seems to be sorted?
20:00Who gets what?
20:01There's a bit of question marks or confusion over that.
20:03So, let's put out the numbers first on our screens of what the NDA looks like right now.
20:0950-50 between the BJP and JDU, 101 and 101 there.
20:13So, a big difference here and the big takeaway from that is clearly that the BJP is also in
20:18a commanding position now in Bihar where they've ensured that they have an equal split, equal
20:22number, the BJP and the JDU.
20:24The other big headline that emerges is, of course, as far as the LGP is concerned.
20:28This is where there was a bit of a hiccup because Chirag Pass 1 was demanding a lot more,
20:32a bigger slice of the seat pie, if you will.
20:35The JDU wasn't very happy with Chirag Pass 1 even getting 29.
20:39Then the likes of the RLM, HAM also spoke out saying,
20:42why aren't we getting as much as Chirag Pass 1?
20:44You had Kushwaha, you had also the likes of Manji speaking out constantly saying,
20:50we're not being treated in a fair manner.
20:51But this is the numbers, essentially the formula that's been cemented and finalized.
20:56There are, however, some niggles as far as which seat goes where for the NDA too.
21:02But let's break down also what was announced today.
21:0671 seats names were announced, Rajdeep, by the BJP today.
21:11And we've done an analysis of really the kind of representation in those seats.
21:16If you look at out of the 71, 46 seats that we've broken down,
21:20the maximum representation is to OBC.
21:23With 20 of those seats going to, in fact, OBC faces,
21:2811 with the EBC, 9 women candidates and 6 SESD.
21:34In a state like Bihar, where of course caste matters, representation matters,
21:39this number is very, very crucial.
21:4146 out of the 71 is what we've broken down for you.
21:44From the NDA, let's move now to the Mahagatbantan,
21:48where so far we don't even know how many sources.
21:51And I'll highlight again here that this is what sources tell us the formula could look like.
21:55The confirmation, maybe we'll get in a few hours.
21:59But going by what our sources are telling us,
22:01the RGD will get 135.
22:03The Congress has been pushing hard.
22:05And looks like somewhere between 61 to 63 is where it will settle.
22:10Our sources telling us at this point that it could be 61.
22:12One, VIP, which we were just referring to, Rajdeep Mukesh Sani has been bargaining hard.
22:17There's been a lot of talk about what he could do next.
22:19At this point, what we're hearing is 16 for VIP.
22:22The left, we're talking about that, including the CPIML, 29 to 31 seats.
22:28Remember, the CPIML had released a first list and then withdrawn it.
22:32As far as the VIP is concerned, we're hearing 16.
22:35Will that change?
22:35If it does, the Congress reportedly is pushing that we need more seats then.
22:39But besides that, the other sticking points within the Mahagat Bandhan is really about Tejasvi Yadav being the CM phase.
22:46Reportedly, the Congress isn't on board and going ahead and endorsing that.
22:50But for the Mahagat Bandhan, at this point, he will be the CM phase.
22:54There's no announcement expected on a Deputy Chief Minister phase.
22:58This despite the fact that there have been some voices within the Mahagat Bandhan saying make that announcement as well.
23:04But besides that, the contentious seats, we've spoken of how many?
23:08What about the seats?
23:09A couple of them that the Congress is pushing for.
23:12You look at Kahil Gaon where the Congress is saying, give this to us because it's been their bastion till 2015,
23:17after which the Congress lost it.
23:19But they believe that this is a seat that they can hold on to.
23:22And then there is also Narkati Aganj.
23:25Huge Muslim population.
23:26So all parties see potential in that particular seat of it coming their way.
23:31So that's another big bone of contention.
23:34The other seat, the third seat in which we're seeing, in fact, some sort of a fight is, in fact, the Varsali-Ganj seat,
23:41which the Congress narrowly lost in 2020.
23:44And so they believe that this time, if it comes to them, if it's brought into their pocket,
23:48they can ensure a win in that particular seat.
23:50So these three seats' issues are there, which we'll have to see if it's ironed out.
23:55The coming hours the Congress-CEC meet, that will be crucial.
23:58But like you mentioned, Rajdeep, time is running out.
24:01Less than 48 hours to go for the nomination deadline.
24:07Okay.
24:07Appreciate you joining me there, Akshita.
24:11So clearly this is the Maha mess.
24:13And I want to come to you, Sanju Verma, because there are two sides to the story.
24:16There's the Maha Gharbandan story and there's the NDA story.
24:19BJP announces 71 candidates today, but there is a suggestion that the BJP is disregarding the views of smaller allies.
24:28You've given Chirag Paswan perhaps a disproportionate number of winnable seats, according to some of those small allies.
24:35Is the BJP playing big brother?
24:37This is your opportunity to pay big brother in Bihar?
24:41And is that the source of the problem, ma'am?
24:42You know, Rajdeep, good to see you in the 7 p.m. slot.
24:49I'll just say this.
24:50You know, the BJP's Central Election Committee, the BJP's Parliamentary Board is consummate.
24:57And it will decide what is in the best interest of not just the BJP, but the NDA,
25:02so that we run home to victory, despite it having been in power for 20 long years.
25:09That's my first point.
25:11My second point is, look at the irony.
25:14The Maha Gharbandan, I will not call them the Maha Thugbandan,
25:18announced 18 candidates and then withdrew those names.
25:21This shows that the Maha Gharbandan is in complete disarray.
25:25Whereas look at the BJP.
25:27It has announced the list of 71 candidates.
25:29And guess what, Rajdeep, look at the representation of various communities.
25:3517 seats to OBCs, 11 to EBCs, 9 to women,
25:42and 6 seats currently have been given to SESTs.
25:46So the third point I'm making is,
25:48there is a fair representation of different communities,
25:51because let's get this loud and clear,
25:53the caste equation does matter.
25:56There's no getting away from it.
25:58As far as the Maha Gharbandan goes,
26:00I'm reminded, Rajdeep.
26:02I'm glad you're saying that, I'm glad you're saying that,
26:04no, no, next time you tell me,
26:06next, no, no, I'm glad you're saying that the caste equation matters,
26:09because in the past,
26:11you know, when news anchors raise caste equations,
26:14politicians get troubled.
26:16They're saying,
26:16I'm glad you're raising caste equations.
26:20Rajdeep, now,
26:22it is time for Sanju Verma to play the proverbial victim card.
26:26You did not interject even once.
26:32I know you hate this word, being heckled.
26:34So I will not say I'm being heckled,
26:36but let me politely finish what I was saying.
26:38Your court will end the debate.
26:40You know, Rajdeep, this is not done.
26:42I did not heckle this man.
26:43No, no, please don't interfere, sir.
26:44I used to debate like this.
26:46Please don't interfere.
26:46Yes, yes.
26:47Please put his voice down.
26:48Go ahead.
26:49Sanju Verma, go ahead.
26:51Thank you, Rajdeep, for a change.
26:52It's nice to hear somebody from the other side being told,
26:55you know, have his mic down.
26:57You know, the other thing I want to say is, Rajdeep,
27:00caste equation matters.
27:02But, you know, let me complete.
27:04What I was trying to say was,
27:05what JP Nadda always says about the opposition,
27:08and he's been proven right again and again and again.
27:10They don't have a common ideology, we know that,
27:21but they cannot come together and forge a consensus
27:25on even mood issues.
27:27That is such an unpleasant scenario
27:30when it comes to the Mahathag Bandhan.
27:33But I was going to focus on one thing.
27:35You were saying something on a show a couple of weeks back
27:37and it resonated with me.
27:39Why the BJP-led NDA stands, you know,
27:42a very good chance of coming back to power?
27:45A, we've got the caste equation right.
27:48Upendra Khushwaha, Jitendra Ram Manji,
27:50Chirag Paswan, Nitish Kumar,
27:52and of course, Modi factor to hai hi.
27:55The unstoppable Modi factor is unparalleled.
27:58But more importantly, the labharthi factor.
28:02People can say whatever they wish to say,
28:05but 10,000 rupee one-time cash transfer
28:07by way of, you know, empowering women,
28:11calling the scheme as Jeevika Didis,
28:13I think that has resonated well on the ground.
28:15And don't forget one thing, Rajdeep.
28:18Last time in 2020, I'm finishing,
28:20wait, my two minutes are not done, one minute.
28:22Last time in 2020, Rajdeep,
28:24what was the BJP's vote share?
28:25Our vote share was 19, 19.46%.
28:30What was the RJD's vote share?
28:3323.11%.
28:35How many seats did the RJD win?
28:3775.
28:38How many did the BJP win?
28:4074.
28:41We won just one seat lesser than the RJD,
28:45despite having only a 19.46% vote share.
28:49What is the message I'm trying to convey to Rajdeep?
28:51The message I'm trying to convey is
28:54BJP's ability to translate vote share
28:58into winnable seats is unparalleled.
29:01Whereas, whereas,
29:03the Congress had a vote share of 9.48%.
29:06You've made your point, ma'am.
29:08Your time is up.
29:10Ma'am, I've listened to you patiently.
29:12I've listened to you patiently.
29:14But there actually lies the story,
29:16Dr. Sanjay Kumar of the spokesperson, J.D.U.
29:19You see, the BJP believes
29:21that they have a better strike rate.
29:23They had it in 2020.
29:25You had actually a very poor strike rate
29:27in 2020.
29:28You only won about 35-36%
29:30of your seats.
29:31You came down to as low as 43.
29:33Has the balance of power changed,
29:35Dr. Sanjay Kumar,
29:36between BJP and J.D.U.?
29:38You all are contesting
29:39identical number of seats.
29:40But this has led to anger in J.D.U.
29:42that the regional party,
29:44the chief minister's party,
29:46is giving up space to the BJP.
29:48That's why we are seeing protests
29:50outside Nithish Kumar's house.
29:52I think, Razib,
29:53that's not the case.
29:55You know,
29:55we are very much united
29:57and if we are working as an alliance,
30:01then we have to take care of
30:02all the alliance members.
30:04And that is,
30:05that is the truth behind
30:06whatever numbers,
30:07whatever seat numbers
30:08that we have distributed
30:10among our alliance.
30:11So that is the first thing.
30:13And, you know,
30:13our alliance is more united
30:15than 2020.
30:16And we are,
30:18I am telling you,
30:19we are going to repeat
30:202010.
30:21And we are going to get
30:23more seats than,
30:24you know,
30:24like last time.
30:26So,
30:27as a part of alliance,
30:28we are very much intact.
30:30And,
30:30you know,
30:30people of Bihar,
30:31they don't want to...
30:32But who is the dominant partner?
30:33I am sorry,
30:34I am sorry,
30:35Sanjay Kumar ji,
30:36tell me,
30:37who is the...
30:37In every alliance,
30:38there is a driver.
30:39Who is the driver?
30:40So,
30:41Nithish Kumar,
30:42Nithish Kumar and Narendra Modi
30:43are co-drivers.
30:44Who is the face?
30:45Nithish Kumar...
30:45Who is the face?
30:47Nithish Kumar is the face.
30:49You know,
30:49it has been declared by NDA,
30:52all the NDA partners
30:54several times.
30:55And he is on the driver's seat.
30:56So,
30:57JDU is,
30:58of course,
30:58Nithish Kumar is the face
30:59and then there are alliance partners.
31:01That is driving the entire election.
31:04Okay.
31:07You know,
31:07that is interesting
31:09because while here,
31:11the JDU spokesperson
31:12is very clear
31:13that Nithish Kumar is the face,
31:15the truth of the matter
31:17is on the other side,
31:18Anshul Avjit,
31:19why aren't you declaring
31:20Tejasvi Yadav as your face?
31:22Okay,
31:23Anshul has left.
31:24Let's get...
31:24No,
31:25I'm your...
31:25Naval Kishor ji,
31:26Naval Kishor,
31:27you see,
31:27people want...
31:30Okay,
31:30people...
31:31Anshul,
31:32tell us why...
31:33Anshul,
31:33why are you not
31:34announcing
31:35the chief ministerial face?
31:37Here you've got a party
31:38like the RJD
31:40which is a dominant player,
31:42135 seats,
31:43the highest of any party
31:44it's contesting
31:45and yet the Congress
31:46is reluctant to announce
31:47Tejasvi as its face.
31:48Why?
31:49No,
31:50no,
31:50because this question
31:51has been resounding
31:52in newsrooms
31:53rather than
31:54among the streets
31:55in Bihar.
31:56You go out
31:57in the streets of Bihar
31:58and ask people
31:59if they are voting
31:59for the Mahagatbandan
32:00or not voting
32:01for them
32:02on the basis
32:03of this question.
32:04It is you
32:05who are plagued
32:06by this question
32:06not anyone out there.
32:08You know,
32:09the other essential
32:10principle,
32:11question of principle
32:12is
32:12then in Mahagatbandan
32:14Dharma
32:14there is a particular
32:16sanctity of the
32:17particular Dharma
32:17and traditionally
32:19the Congress
32:20has abided by that.
32:21Also,
32:22in Congress's own case
32:23when it's fighting alone
32:24when is the last time
32:25you remember
32:26the Congress
32:27ever announcing
32:28in the last 75 years
32:29of electoral history
32:30whether Congress
32:31ever announcing
32:32a CM face?
32:33Do tell me that.
32:33Even one instance
32:35perhaps one
32:36but that doesn't
32:36make the difference.
32:37Times are changing.
32:37Look.
32:39Sorry?
32:43Times are changing.
32:44You've got
32:45No, no, no.
32:45Times are changing.
32:46For all their troubles
32:47is very clear
32:48according to the
32:49J.D.U. spokesperson
32:50Nitish Kumar
32:50will be chief minister
32:51if they win.
32:53No, no.
32:53First of all
32:54they haven't announced it either.
32:55Ask Mr. Shiraz.
32:56Okay, you're saying
32:56it doesn't.
32:56He wants as the CM face.
32:58Look,
32:58they haven't announced it
32:59and secondly
33:00the parliamentary democracy
33:01you know
33:01the Westminster model
33:02you all sit together
33:04after the election
33:05is over
33:05and they say
33:06no,
33:07this is the person
33:07who's going to lead
33:08the executive
33:09this is the first
33:10among equals.
33:11That is the principle
33:12of parliamentary democracy
33:13that is being followed
33:14throughout.
33:15Times are changing
33:15in newsrooms
33:16not on the ground.
33:17You please go and ask
33:18do your surveys
33:19on the ground.
33:19Can I please come in
33:20and ask the NDA
33:24that particular question
33:25as well.
33:25Ask Mr. Geetam Ramandi
33:26that question.
33:27Okay.
33:28No, on the ground.
33:31Okay.
33:33Let's put that question
33:34to you Sanju Verma.
33:35Sanju Verma
33:36there is
33:36let's be honest
33:37an element of disaffection
33:39in your ranks
33:39whatever you may say
33:40there's talk
33:41just as there's talk
33:42of Mukesh Sani
33:43drifting apart
33:44there's talk
33:45of Upendra Kuchwa
33:46also not happy.
33:47I ask you this question
33:48is Nitish Kumar
33:49the driver of this alliance
33:50is he the face
33:51is that a clarity
33:53NDA wins
33:54Nitish Kumar
33:55becomes chief minister.
33:57You know
33:58let me first say
33:59one thing
33:59very categorically
34:00Rajdeep
34:00you know
34:01the congress
34:03spokesperson
34:04said you know
34:05things are changing
34:06on the ground
34:07and newsrooms
34:08have a disconnect
34:08with what is happening
34:09on the ground.
34:10Let me say one thing
34:11ahead of Maharashtra
34:13assembly elections
34:14in 2024
34:15the same congress
34:17would debate with me
34:18and say
34:19BJP will be wiped out
34:20and guess what
34:22the maha gut bandhal
34:23so to speak
34:24in Maharashtra
34:25was wiped out
34:26and the same
34:27today have a nice
34:28big fat omelette
34:29on their face.
34:30So the congress
34:31cabal
34:31the darbari ecosystem
34:32has this habit
34:34ability
34:34to jump
34:35like frogs
34:36on a hot tin roof
34:37and you know
34:38count their chickens
34:39answer my question ma'am
34:41yes I'm coming to that
34:43Rajdeep like you
34:44say Sanju Verma
34:45show patience
34:46as a seasoned anchor
34:47I expect more
34:48patience of you
34:48I will say this
34:50Rajdeep and now
34:51don't interject me
34:52you can say
34:53Sanju Verma
34:53is playing it
34:54safe but this
34:54is my answer
34:55ahead of Gujarat
34:57assembly elections
34:58in 2022
34:59I was on various
35:01debates including
35:02on your show
35:02and everybody
35:03told me oh
35:04Vijay Rupani
35:05and his team
35:05were removed
35:06barely nine months
35:07ahead of the
35:08Gujarat elections
35:09nobody knows
35:10who's Bhupendra
35:11Bhai Patel
35:11you guys are
35:12surely going to
35:13face a crashing
35:14defeat
35:14and we came
35:15back to power
35:16you know
35:17winning more
35:18than 156
35:19seats
35:20and we did
35:21that in Haryana
35:22also
35:22when people
35:23said that
35:23he jats
35:24are going to
35:26teach you a
35:28lesson
35:29what happened
35:30for the first
35:30time in Haryana's
35:31history
35:32in recent times
35:33BJP
35:34won't come to
35:35victory
35:35for the third
35:36time in a row
35:36and my final
35:37point is this
35:38on the 14th
35:46of November
35:46BJP led
35:48NDA
35:48will be
35:49coming back
35:50to power
35:50because
35:51Narendra Modi
35:52has transformed
35:53anti-incumbency
35:55into pro-incumbency
35:56it's as simple
35:59as that
35:59we'll wait
36:00and see
36:00what happens
36:01on the 14th
36:02of November
36:02I must give
36:0330 seconds
36:04each to
36:04Nawal Kishore
36:05Ji
36:05and Dr.
36:06Sanjay Kumar
36:07Nawal Kishore
36:07let's be
36:09clear
36:10is this
36:10according to
36:12Anshul Abjid
36:12it doesn't
36:13matter who's
36:13the chief
36:14ministerial
36:14face
36:15Janata
36:15doesn't
36:16care about
36:16chief ministerial
36:17face
36:17you agree
36:18with that
36:18or do you
36:19want
36:19Tejasvi
36:20Yadav
36:20to be
36:20projected
36:21clear
36:21short
36:21answer
36:22Rajdeep
36:27it is
36:27open
36:27fact
36:28there is
36:29no need
36:29of asking
36:29question
36:30you ask
36:31anybody
36:31in Bihar
36:32any voter
36:33in Bihar
36:33they will
36:34say that
36:34Mahak
36:35Arbandhan
36:35chief minister
36:36faces
36:36Tejasvi
36:37Yadav
36:37he has
36:38done
36:38many
36:39things
36:39for
36:39the
36:39people
36:40of
36:40Bihar
36:40many
36:41things
36:41particularly
36:41for
36:42the
36:42youth
36:42of
36:43Bihar
36:43and
36:43he
36:43has
36:43seen
36:44that
36:44the
36:4417
36:45month
36:45of
36:45government
36:46he
36:46has
36:46seen
36:46that
36:46how
36:46he
36:47has
36:47acted
36:47for
36:48the
36:48development
36:48of
36:48Bihar
36:49he
36:49changed
36:50total
36:50political
36:51vocabulary
36:52of
36:52Bihar
36:52and
36:53that
36:53is
36:53what
36:53is
36:53bothering
36:54to
36:54the
36:54BJP
36:55BJP
36:56BJP
37:26another day but i want to leave it with dr sanjay kumar who's patiently listened dr sanjay kumar i
37:32want an honest answer are you happy that chirag paswan has emerged stronger many believe 29 seats
37:38many of them winnable last time he was seen to undercut the jantadal united now he's being propped
37:44up are you are you satisfied with chirag paswan emerging in such a in in a stronger role of course
37:51you know it's it's not a matter of stronger and weaker as i said earlier also that if you are in
37:58alliance you know there are different family members that grows that you know that ages you
38:03know things like that so we are completely happy and satisfied and we came to this conclusion after
38:10several round of you know conversation discussions deliberations with senior leadership of all the
38:16alliance partners so of course we are happy okay you're happy we'll wait and see as i said
38:24we will wait and see how this maha mess of bihar evolves thank you all very much to my guest let's
38:32turn to someone who could well be a celebrity face in this election in bihar maithali thakur a popular
38:39bihari folk singer joined the bjp today and is hoping to contest from a seat in darbanga district
38:45our correspondent sujit gupta caught up with the singer let's find out how she feels uh her political
38:54debut will be listening
38:57my pradhan mantri ji se bauh zyada prabhavet hoon humare bihar mein humare mukhiya mantri shri nitish kumar ji se kaafi
39:03prabhavet hoon aur unke unko sahiyok ke liye unke saad dene ke liye mein yaa par unke liye khadi
39:08hoon chunol ane ka moka mein lairat hoon mein wu paati ka adesh hooga wu paati
39:12how are alinagar se chunol arse hoon party janty hai
39:14you Joe
39:43okay
39:4425 year old folk singer hoping to make her political debut how is all this playing out
39:49where we let's go back to where we started off the seed sharing battle that's going on and why
39:55is it so heated and intensified joining me now amitabh diwari founder vote vibe he's been tracking
40:01this poll very closely panca jaap political editor the london top spent many years in bihar
40:06first to you amitabh why do you think this time in particular this battle for seats is so heated
40:14is it just the number of players involved in it or because the stakes are so high give us a sense
40:20of how this could play out no of course the stakes are high and the number of players has also
40:25increased because in nda we see now two more partners one is the ljp and the other is the rlm
40:33and in the mahagarbandan block as well we see vip jmm ip gupta party as well as ljp faction
40:41of pasupati nath paras see it's a close contest and both the alliances feel that they have a
40:48winning chance the number of ministerial positions or deputy chief ministerial positions any party gets
40:55depends upon the number of mlas they have so all parties are bargaining for that also the smaller
41:01parties in bihar like vip ljp hum etc bring in the crucial two three percent caste community votes
41:11and caste is very very important in bihar elections ljp gives that edge to nda because it brings that
41:18five six percent paswan community vote which has stayed loyal to the ram vilas paswan family for a
41:26long time now see we are also seeing a nationalization of politics here the entry of national
41:32parties bjp and congress in this election with the weakening of the rjd and the weakening of the jdu
41:39so congress uh uh also extending its muscles and even the bjp uh not waiting for a post-poll
41:48scenario but even striking before the post elections and becoming an equal partner so becoming a co-captain
41:56sort of for the nda we've seen in maharashtra how the opposition
42:00failed miserably because they had not planned better so this anti-incumbency which we talk about
42:07i'm not saying there are not issues in nda but the mgb could have exploited it well if they had the
42:14seed sharing arrangements in advance now they do not have that edge edge per se
42:19yeah it is
42:23yeah yeah it is serious a pancach your see sharing her check out get it yeah uh yeah yeah
42:43can also bring a seat? What do you see? What can happen in the next 48 hours?
42:51I don't think that anyone can be able to see the next 48 hours already, whether NDA or
42:58the Maha Ghajwandan alliance, it doesn't work out any party. I'll tell you, a few days
43:03ago, the CPI ML had the list of 18 candidates in public. They gave me the media. So he
43:10It has been pulled back.
43:11It has been said that when everyone will have seat sharing in the Maha Gatbandan alliance,
43:17then we will public it.
43:19We will tell you about the media.
43:21And this is the reason that yesterday,
43:23when the Tejaswui Aadab came,
43:25some people were given a symbol from Lali Aadab's hands.
43:29The Tejaswui Aadab is very pushy,
43:33that the Maha Gatbandan alliance is in the middle of the public.
43:38This is the reason for them.
43:40We have been talking about Mookay Sani.
43:42We have been talking about several times before.
43:44We have been offered some seats.
43:46They said that it is time and we will keep it.
43:48The most important thing is that the number of seats is the quality of seats.
43:55The last time the Congress got 70 seats and won the 19 seats,
43:59it has been said that it has been baggage for the Maha Gatbandan.
44:03So, the majority of seats are involved in the country.
44:05It has been a seat.
44:06It has been a seat that repose all the time.
44:11They all have posted to the media.
44:13But when the candidates are on the list of candidates,
44:16My final word to you, Amitabh Thakur.
44:45We saw last time what a closely fought election it was, just 12,000 votes separated the two major alliances.
44:53Does that make it even more difficult therefore?
44:55Because if someone doesn't get a ticket, they could rebel, become independent, switch over.
45:01That's why this time both alliances are being very careful, looking for winnable seats.
45:06But also trying to manage dissent will be a major challenge.
45:10I think one of the important factors as you mentioned is that both the parties or alliances are wary of dissent.
45:18And that's why also they are pushing the candidate nomination dates to the last.
45:24So that the rebels do not get any chance to contest either as independents or hop onto Prashant Kishore's party.
45:32Because he has named some candidates but as well, if he gets a stronger candidate, he can change them as well.
45:38See, on the Mahagadbandan side, when we talk about quality of seats, there are only 123 seats which the RJD has won at least once in the last three elections post delimitations.
45:49And Congress has only 36 such seats, which makes it around 160.
45:54So there are 80-85 seats which are up for grabs by the regional parties or the smaller parties as well.
46:01Whereas in the NDA side, there are 125 seats which the BJP has won at least once and around 130 which the JDU has won at least once.
46:10So that complicates matters because here both the bigger parties have stronger seats, you can say moderate or stronger seats, more than the assembly strength.
46:20Whereas in MGB, it should be rather easier because even RJD, there are many almost 120 seats which it has not won ever in the last three elections.
46:30Right.
46:34So, you know, it's very fascinating the way Bihar is playing out.
46:38It is as we saw in 2020, a very tight race at the start at least.
46:44And therefore, every party is trying to grab every inch of space that it can in Bihar's power games.
46:53This is the land of Bihar, the land where politics is almost an industry of sorts.
46:58Pankaj Jha and Amitabh Tiwari, I appreciate you joining us.
47:02And for all of you who are watching, thanks for watching.
Recommended
1:30
|
Up next
23:34
6:03
Be the first to comment