BJP, NDA allies in huddle to firm up seat-sharing pact

Amid speculations about the seat share arrangements of the ruling NDA and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan, BJP Bihar unit chief Dilip Jaiswal has indicated that seat-sharing arrangements with the NDA partners could be announced by Sunday.

Ahead of the meeting between senior BJP leaders and their allies in the state on Saturday, the BJP Bihar unit president said, “Everything has been decided and all is well in the NDA, which is moving forward with firm unity. I think the central leadership will make an announcement this evening or by 11 am tomorrow,” he told reporters.

When asked whether the announcement will be made in Patna or in Delhi, Jaiswal said the NDA leadership will decide on this.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda, held a meeting with various leaders from the party and allies on the Assembly elections here on Saturday.

The meeting came a day ahead of the expected meeting of the Central Election Committee of the BJP, which includes PM Narendra Modi and other senior leaders, to finalise the names of the party candidates for the Bihar Assembly poll.

Sources said the seat-sharing formula has almost been finalised with the Janata Dal (United) and the LJP (Ram Vilas), while discussions were on with other two allies — Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)] supremo Jitan Ram Lam Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha.

They further claimed that the JD(U) was likely to contest 101-102 seats and the BJP on one seat less than the JD(U).

BJP's in-charge for political affairs in Bihar Vinod Tawde and Bihar election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also a Union Minister, also attended the meeting.

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who was also here to attend the BJP core group meeting, said discussions were on with the allies on seat-sharing for the elections.

“Nobody has any kind of resentment. Everyone has expressed their views…all are happy,” the BJP leader said, when asked if Kushwaha aur Paswan had any resentment over the sharing of seats.

During the day-long meeting at Nadda’s residence, Manjhi also came and discussed seat-sharing with senior BJP leaders. “We have expressed our views before the senior leadership of the BJP. We have all the options open. There is an old saying that no one is anyone’s friend in politics, no one is anyone’s enemy,” HAM(S) national general secretary Rajesh Pandey said after the meeting.

Meanwhile, the central parliamentary board of the LJP (RV) authorised party chief Chirag Paswan to take all the decisions at a meeting held at his residence here.