Bihar Assembly Election 2020: Sahni-led VIP formally joins NDA, to contest on 11 seats
Sahni, who prefers to be called the son of a boatman, formed VIP in 2018. He is also the head of Nishaad Vikas Sangh. Nishads account for 14% of voters in Bihar and have a strong presence in North Bihar
Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) has joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the poll-bound Bihar with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allocating 11 seats to it from its quota of 121. This has left the BJP with 110 seats. The Janata Dal (United), or JD (U), is contesting 115 and Hindustani Awam Morcha seven as part of the NDA.
Sahni thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for inducting his party into the alliance. “The RJD [Rashtriya Janata Dal]-led Grand Alliance backstabbed me while the BJP provided me a healing touch. I am satisfied with what I have got and will work to ensure that Nitish Kumar becomes chief minister,” said Sahni. He added the entire Extremely Backward Caste (EBC) community is with the NDA.
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BJP leader and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the RJD- led alliance has always mistreated EBCs. “Sahni is not only a leader of Nishads but he a leader of EBCs which form 40% of the population. Barring BJP and JD (U), none of the parties have provided representation to them.”
Sahni, who prefers to be called the son of a boatman, formed VIP in 2018. He is also the head of Nishaad Vikas Sangh.
Nishads account for 14% of voters in Bihar and have a strong presence in North Bihar.
BJP’s Bihar election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis separately said those leaders of his party who contest elections on Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) tickets will be expelled. “Those who contest as part of NDA belong to us and those who contest outside will face action,” said Fadnavis.
LJP has opted to contest the Bihar assembly elections on its own.
