Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha's entry into the Congress, which was scheduled to happen on Thursday, has got delayed, apparently because of differences in the opposition alliance with regard to sharing of seats.
Sinha's formal entry into the Congress was postponed at the last minute. He was earlier scheduled to be formally inducted into the Congress on Thursday, and preparations were being made for him to address a press conference at the AICC headquarters after his joining the party.
“We will soon give you good news regarding Shatrughan Sinhaji,” said Randeep Surjewala, head of the AICC's communications department. He was responding to questions on the reasons why Sinha's induction into the Congress had been put off.
A senior Congress leader said the delay was not to be attributed to Sinha as the MP from Patna Sahib was ready to join the party. “We are delaying it,” he said.
The Bollywood star-turned-politician had a meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, and it is learnt that he will formally join the party in a few days' time.
According to the leader, there is a renewed disagreement in the opposition Mahagathbandhan with regard to sharing of seats, and Sinha's induction into the Congress has been put off till the differences in the alliance are resolved. It is understood that the Congress has made a renewed demand for Darbhanga as it is keen to field Kirti Azad from there. Azad is the sitting MP from the constituency, and he recently quit the BJP to join the principal opposition party. It is also learnt that there is a tussle between the Congress and the RJD over who will get Patna Sahib. Also, the Congress is keen that Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting from Begusarai as a CPI candidate, is fielded as a joint candidate of the opposition alliance. According to the seat sharing worked out originally by the opposition parties, the CPI and the CPI(M) have not been given any share.
If the Congress fields Sinha from Patna Sahib in the coming Lok Sabha elections, a keen contest will be on the cards in the seat as he will be up against BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad.
