RJD, CPI ask each other to pull out of Begusarai seat

Patna: There's a new twist in the triangular poll battle among the BJP, the RJD and the CPI in Begusarai with the latter two asking each other to withdraw their candidates in favour of the other.

Interestingly, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) were in talks for a pre-poll alliance in Bihar as part of the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan.

But former JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar's candidature from Begusarai became the "deal-breaker" as the Lalu Prasad-led party doubted Kumar's winnability in view of the controversies surrounding him.

RJD General Secretary Shivanand Tiwari on Thursday said the CPI should withdraw its candidate Kanhaiya Kumar and support RJD's Tanvir Hasan if it wanted to defeat the fascist forces. Tiwari said the media had made Kanhaiya a hero across the country, but fact was he had no support base in Begusarai.

Tiwari's comments came a day after CPI General Secretary Sudhakar Reddy claimed that Kanhaiya was getting "excellent" support from all sections.

"I would therefore urge RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to consider our appeal to withdraw Tanvir Hasan from the contest. He can do this much to help Kanhaiya get a decisive win since the last date of withdrawal of nominations has lapsed," Reddy said.