NDA likely to announce seat-sharing deal for Bihar assembly polls today
A senior BJP functionary, requesting anonymity, said that the agreement on seat allocation has been worked out, while talks are on over a few seats.
New Delhi/Patna : Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda, on Saturday held a meeting to discuss seat-sharing arrangements among the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners as well as selection of candidates for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
The core group meeting — which comes a day ahead of the key meeting of BJP central election committee (CEC) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi — was held at Nadda’s residence and was also attended by senior party leaders from the poll-bound state and some national office bearers. People aware of the details said the discussions pertained to the selection of candidates, which will be finalised by the CEC.
Talking to reporters, Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal said the seat-sharing announcement will be made on Sunday. “All is well in the NDA and the seat share of the allies will be announced by tomorrow (Sunday). Everything has been decided in the NDA. The NDA is moving forward with firm unity,” he said.
Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11 and the results will be declared on November 14.
A senior BJP functionary, requesting anonymity, said that the agreement on seat allocation has been worked out, while talks are on over a few seats. The functionary denied any differences within NDA over seat allocation.
The hectic meetings come amid reports of additional seat demands by allies such as Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) led by Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, and the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha.
While the BJP held detailed discussions with Paswan two days ago, both Manjhi and Kushwaha held separate meetings with Nadda on Sunday. “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 told reporters.
