Mahagatbandhan is the need of the hour: Binoy Viswam

Senior Communist Party of India leader and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam said that seat-sharing talks are going on in a positive direction for the Bihar elections. Viswam's remark came after the Election Commission announced dates for assembly elections in Bihar.

New Delhi: With the election commission announcing Bihar election in three phases from October 28, the Left leaders in Delhi told to ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview that the seat-sharing equation in the Grand Alliance or Mahagatbandhan is going in the right direction.

"Seat sharing talks are going on in a positive direction. We are expecting a very positive development soon," said senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam.

The CPI, CPI (M) and CPI (ML) have announced joining hands with RJD led Mahagatbandhan to give a strong fight to the NDA government.

Led by RJD, the Mahagatbandhan has already had Congress as one of its major allies.

If sources are to be believed, the RJD and Congress have yet to take a call on the number of seats that would be given to the Left parties.

The Left front has pitched a number for 60 seats in the 243 Bihar Assembly. Sources said that RJD and Congress will part from their share of seats to Left parties and other allies.

"The Nitish Kumar government has failed to bring any development in Bihar. In fact, Nitish Kumar was behaving like a 'toy' in the hands of BJP-RSS combination," said Viswam.

He said that the Mahagatbandhan will have a common agenda and it will be reflected in their election manifesto.

"Our agenda is for the poor, minority and for the deprived section of the society. All the issues will be reflected in the common agenda and when we are going into a Gathbandhan, it will have certain programmes," said Viswam.

He claimed that Mahagatbandhan is going to write a new history in Bihar.

"Such an alliance is the need of the hour. At any costs, BJP needs to be defeated. The Mahagatbandhan with Left parties is a powerful force, which can't be defeated by anybody," said Viswam.

He said that Mahagatbandhan is going to the electoral battlefield, "not to fight but win the battle ."

Referring to the Agriculture Reform Bills, Viswam said that his party will expose the central government and its anti farmers' bills in front of the people.

"Various announcement made by central government (BJP) is a part of their usual rhetoric which are hollow," said Viswam and added that this Bill will never help the people.

"The government is trying to handover the farming sector to corporates and the corporate-agribusiness us given a free hand," he said.

He said that the bill will have its agitational phase and political impact too.

"...and the political impact has already started working," said Viswam.

The Election Commission on Friday announced to conduct Bihar election in three phases starting from October 28.