In the recently concluded Bihar Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) which was in coalition with the Congress party contested in 142 constituencies and won in 75. However the Congress, which contested in 70 constituencies, won only 19 seats. The RJD has been unable to form the government as the Congress has not won even 25% of the seats it contested.
With this inglorious performance put up by Congress in the Bihar Assembly polls and in the by-elections held in various parts of the country, it has got its alliance partner in Tamil Nadu worrying. The DMK leadership is now fearing that it might have to carry a dead weight and a similar situation like that of Bihar could turn up in the 2021 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu if the Congress ends up bargaining more seats.
In the 2016 assembly elections, the DMK contested 173 and won in 89, capturing more than 50% of the seats. The Congress party which contested in 41 constituencies and won just 8 seats managing a poor strike rate. Back then, it was said that the main reason for the defeat of the Congress was the factionalism that existed between the leaders.
Talks have been going around in Congress circles that they plan to get 40 seats for the forthcoming assembly elections. But after looking at the results of Bihar elections, DMK’s political strategist from Bihar, Prashant Kishor and his I-PAC team is said to have asked the DMK to put only 20 seats on the table as offer to the Congress. A few party insiders are of the opinion that the DMK will not hesitate to severe alliance if the Congress demands more seats.
This is has apparently upset the Congress party in Tamil Nadu.