Bihar elections: Congress fields controversial ex-AMU student union head Maskoor Usmani

A controversy broke out ahe of Bihar elections as Congress party gave ticket to former Aligarh Muslim University Student’s Union chief Maskoor Usmani. grand-old party has chosen him to contest from Jale assembly constituency in Dharbhanga district. While BJP has slammed Congress for choosing a "Jinnah supporter" as ir candidate, some Congress leers in state have opined that it may le to controversy and may harm party. 

Who is Maskoor Usmani?

Usmani was a student union chief in AMU in 2017 and h me helines after BJP Aligarh MP Satish Gautam wrote to university vice-chancellor objecting to portrait of Pakistan's far of nation Mohamm Ali Jinnah that is hung in University. Usmani was n accused of raising anti-national slogans. In 2019, he was booked under sedition for same, but charges were later dropped. However, AMU ministration h stated that  portrait of Jinnah was put up in University since 1938 and he has been given a 'lifetime membership'. Ors, including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, were also given 'lifetime membership' and ir portraits are also placed in University.

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Seat-sharing formula of RJD-Cong alliance 

Congress is contesting on 70 seats in Bihar as party agreed to a seat-sharing deal of 144-70 with RJD. Three or Communist parties are also part of Mahagathbandhan and are contesting on 29 seats. Tejashwi Yav has been declared its CM face. 

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This year's Bihar elections will witness clash of as many as five alliances. ruling JDU-BJP is contesting along with Mukesh Sahni's VIP and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), while LJP has decided to go solo.  Mahagathbandhan led by RJD has lost many key allies and is contesting with Congress and three left parties.

On 28 September, Pappu Yav who is eyeing a comeback in politics of Bihar stitched an alliance of his party Jan hikar Party (JAP) with Chandrashekhar Az's Az Samaj Party', MK Faizi's Social Democratic Party and Bahujan Mukti Party. y named it Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA). On or side, confident after his party's victory in byelections, AIMIM chief Asuddin Owaisi has teamed up with Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, Mayawati's BSP, Devendra Yav's SJDD, and SBSP as 'Grand Democratic Secular Front' to contest upcoming polls.

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Bihar elections 2020

Bihar Assembly has a strength of 243 members out of which 38 seats are reserved for SC and two for ST. In 2015 state polls, Mahagatbandhan comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress won a whopping majority with 178 seats under leership of Nitish Kumar. On or hand,  BJP-led alliance won from only 58 constituencies. On July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar stepped down as CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yav and joined hands with its former ally BJP. upcoming Assembly election will be held in three phases - October 28, vember 3, and vember 7. counting of votes will take place on vember 10.

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