Patna,(BiharTimes): The absence of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad from the Press conference in which the announcement of the “grand secular alliance” among Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress was made on Wednesday have come as a bit of surprise as they were expected to turn up.

However, political observers are of the view that the two leaders kept the announcement a low profile affair and left it to the state party chiefs Bashistha Narayan Singh, Ram Chandra Purvey and Ashok Chaudhary for strategic reason.

Apparently they do not want to give too much importance to this development as the alliance had been made just for the 10 seats for the by-election.

They are just testing the political waters and the mood of the workers of the respective parties, especially of JD(U) and RJD, as they have worked against each other for about two decades.

Analysts are of the view that the two Mandal stalwarts of the state may come together publicly later when the alliance for the Assembly election is made. They are just keeping their fingers crossed to win maximum number of seats in the by-poll. The success would give a boost to their sagging image.

To keep the morale of their workers high they are citing the example of Uttarakhand, where the Congress won all the three Assembly seats, which went to poll recently.

According to Bihar JDU chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh it is just the beginning of social democratic forces uniting against the RSS. Bihar has shown the way. The process will be strengthened in the state and extended in the rest of the country with the larger goal to present a viable secular alternative to communal forces.

On the other hand Purvey and Ashok Choudhary described the alliance as the need of the hour.

As reported the RJD and JDU shared four seats each, leaving two seats for the Congress.