BHOPAL: The Congress has forged an alliance with the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) in the state as part of the proposed grand alliance before the Lok Sabaha polls due next year. In Jatara assembly of Tikamgarh , the Congress left the seat for the LJD. In Sailana of Ratlam, there is a “friendly fight” to defeat BJP.The LJD, headed by Sharad Yadav, is believed to be working to bring “like-minded parties in the UPA fold ” to fight against the BJP. Jatara, a small backward town of Tikamgarh district in Bundelkhand is dominated by Scheduled Caste and Yadav communities and borders Uttar Pradesh While declaring names of candidates, the Congress announced only 229 names leaving Jatara for the LJD from where a little known politician Dr Vikram Choudhry is contesting. A PhD in sociology from Hari Singh Gaur University of Sagar, Choudhry said he had worked as spokesperson of the Congress when Suresh Pachauri was the PCC president. But sitting Congress MLA Dinesh Ahirwar, who filed nomination as an independent and BJP’s Harishankar Khatik is giving a tough fight to both LJD and Congress.Talking to TOI, LJD candidate said, “I have been working in Jatara for long. I have a road map for fishermen and Kushwah community of the region, who are worst-affected after a large number of ancient lakes in Tikamgarh began drying up because of successive droughts.”He is banking on 80,000 votes of members of Scheduled Caste community, Yadavs and 20,000 fishermen.Himself from SC community, he was one of the candidates selected in the Aam Admi Ka Sipahi talent hunt launched by Rahul Gandhi. “There, I worked in fields of MNREGA and RTI with Rahulji,” he claimed.He said Jatara in fact is part of a grand national alliance, which is going to take place in coming days.Talking to TOI, general secretary of the LJD Govind Yadav told TOI, “In fact, we have alliance for two seats. Besides Jatara, the LJD has also fielded candidate in Sailana reserved seat of Ratlam district . There will be a friendly but strategic fight in Sailana between the Congress and the LJD to defeat the BJP candidate,” he said.From Jhabua to Ratlam and neighbouring Rajasthan, socialist leader Mama Baleshwer Dayal used to have strong political clout, he said adding, the LJD would take advantage of the same to defeat the BJP. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said in Madhya Pradesh we wanted all like-minded parties to come together and fight against the “communal” BJP. In the same way, LJD is fighting from Jatara as they had a good vote share in the constituency. More than that, Congress is not divulging details.

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