Rajesh Ram rejects ‘baseless’ allegations of party MLAs on RS poll absence row

Patna, March 17 (IANS) Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram on Tuesday strongly denied allegations that he had directed party MLAs to abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections held on Monday, terming the claims “completely baseless”.

After Congress MLA from Forbesganj, Manoj Vishwas, alleged that he abstained from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections on the directions of Bihar Congress State President Rajesh Ram, the latter issued a strong rebuttal, terming the allegation completely baseless.

Responding sharply, Rajesh Ram said, “Let me make it absolutely clear that I am among the most loyal members of the party. Posts may come and go, but a person’s reputation is built with great difficulty. I categorically deny these allegations.”

He further stated that he had made repeated efforts to contact the MLAs ahead of the voting.

“I was in constant touch with them. I called them multiple times and even went to their residences, sat there, and requested them to meet me. However, I could not meet anyone. Even after that, I kept calling and sending messages, stressing that the party’s reputation was at stake and urging them to respond at least once. Despite all efforts, they neither answered my calls nor replied to my messages. And today, such allegations are being made,” he told IANS.

Reaffirming his commitment to the party, Rajesh Ram added, “We are loyal soldiers of the Congress party. We have worked at the grassroots level and earned our positions through dedication. While holding this responsibility, I can never betray the party.”

He also referred to a past incident, claiming that attempts were made to lure him with political offers. “Earlier, Ashok Chaudhary tried to entice us with promises of MLC posts, ministerial positions, and even flats. But we rejected those offers outright and chose to remain committed to the party,” he asserted.

The controversy has further intensified internal tensions within the Congress unit in Bihar, especially in the aftermath of the opposition alliance’s setback in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Earlier in the day, Congress MLA Manoj Vishwas, who did not participate in the voting, claimed that his absence was in line with the direction of Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram.

Vishwas, an MLA from Forbesganj in Araria district, told IANS that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had fielded Amrendra Dhari Singh, a candidate from the Bhumihar community, without consulting Congress leadership in the state.

“RJD did not consult our state president, Rajesh Ram. Therefore, Ram allowed us to make our own decision on whether to vote or not. Hence, I had decided not to vote in the Rajya Sabha election,” Vishwas said.

He further added that many Congress legislators represent Dalit, OBC, and minority communities. “If our leadership is not given due respect, how can we support the candidate?” he asked, reiterating his loyalty to the Congress party.

The Mahagathbandhan candidate A.D. Singh belongs to the Bhumihar community, and his campaign was led by senior Congress leader Akhilesh Singh, who is from the same caste group.

The abstaining MLAs indicated that caste dynamics and lack of coordination within the alliance influenced their decision.

Apart from Manoj Vishwas, Congress MLAs Surendra Kushwaha and Manohar Prasad Singh also stayed away from voting, along with RJD MLA Faisal Rahman.

Surendra Kushwaha was dissatisfied with the candidate selection and believed that RJD leader Deepak Yadav should have been fielded instead.

Manohar Prasad Singh said the alliance failed to nominate a candidate from the Dalit, minority or OBC communities. He termed his abstention a protest against the decision but clarified that he would continue to remain in the Congress.

–IANS

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