Ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, the ruling NDA on Sunday announced seat sharing, in which BJP and JDU will contest on 101 seats each, LJP (Ram Vilas) on 29 seats, Rashtriya Lok Morcha – on 6 seats, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) – on 6 seats.
It is noteworthy that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
This announcement was made by Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tawde in a post on social media. Tawde wrote, “Organized and dedicated NDA, all the members of the NDA family for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections have completed the distribution of seats with mutual consent in a cordial environment, which is as follows – BJP – 101 seats, JD (U) – 101 seats, LJP (Ram Vilas) – 29 seats, RLM – 06 seats, HAM – 06 seats.”
Tawde said, “Leaders and workers of all NDA parties have happily welcomed this decision. All the partners are gearing up and determined to form the NDA government once again in Bihar.”
Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan said that “Bihar is ready” and once again the NDA government will be formed in the state. He said, “Bihar is ready, once again NDA government, this time with full strength #BiharFirstBihariFirst!”
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha also posted information on the finalization of seat sharing on their X handles.
There was intense discussion among the leaders of NDA allies after the announcement of election dates to finalize the seat sharing for Bihar Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the BJP Central Election Committee meeting is being held in the national capital. Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda, other Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nityanand Rai, Sarbananda Sonowal and Dharmendra Pradhan reached the BJP headquarters here for the BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting.
Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa along with Union minister and co-incharge of Bihar CR Patil were also among those who attended the CEC meeting.
Other leaders who attended the meeting included Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tawde, National Minorities Commission Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Bihar Minister Mangal Pandey and Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal.
Both the ruling NDA and the opposition Grand Alliance are engaged in intense discussions regarding claims to the seats.
Meanwhile, when asked if he would join any alliance, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party chief Pashupati Kumar Paras said, “There is time till October 17. We will tell everything by the day after tomorrow.”
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party leader and his son Tejashwi Yadav arrived in Delhi ahead of the meeting with Congress MP and Lok Sabha leader Rahul Gandhi on seat sharing in the grand alliance.
Speaking in Patna today, Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh said, “The distribution of seats is almost done, but at the last moment all the parties face some difficulties. These are in NDA as well as here. Everything will be announced in a day or two.”
Addressing journalists in Ranchi, Jharkhand today on seat sharing in the grand alliance, Congress leader Pawan Kheda said, “There will be a meeting, and only after that the further seat sharing will be announced. The BJP’s hope that some hurdle is coming, it is being removed. We are all fighting the elections together.”
Earlier today in Patna, JDU leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said, “RJD’s seats will be very less. RJD should be mentally prepared for a situation worse than 2010. The public has made up its mind that NDA is heading towards a big victory under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. We will fight together and it is certain that the government will be formed under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.”
A meeting of senior NDA leaders was held on Saturday at the residence of BJP President and Union Minister Nadda. Many leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister and Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) (Hum)(S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tawde, Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary attended the meeting.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) also held a meeting of its senior leaders in the national capital yesterday. Party MP Shambhavi Chaudhary said that the party’s Central Parliamentary Board meeting was held under the chairmanship of party chief Chirag Paswan. He said that the final decision on seat sharing will be taken by the party’s national president. He also said that “negotiations are still ongoing.”
Voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held on November 6 and November 11 and counting of votes will take place on November 14.
In these elections, NDA will face India Block led by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Congress, CPI (ML) led by Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI, CPM and Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). This time Bihar will also see the entry of a new player in the form of Prashant Kishore and his party Jan Suraj.