Bihar polls: BJP President J P Nadda to discuss seat pact with Nitish Kumar

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi doled out sops worth Rs 295 crore for Bihar, BJP national president JP Nadda reached Patna on Friday to sort out the contentious issue of seat-sharing among NDA allies.

This is the first time in the history of Bihar polity that the JD (U) will be contesting an Assembly election in alliance with the LJP.

Till 2010 Assembly elections, NDA in Bihar comprised only of BJP and JD (U), with the two parties contesting 102 and 141 seats respectively. In 2015, Nitish contested the Bihar polls in alliance with the RJD and the Congress.

In 2020 Assembly elections, the LJP will be contesting in alliance with the JD (U), BJP and the new entrant Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM. However, the LJP is yet to declare its stand on whether it will remain a part of the NDA or if it would like to contest on its own, given the tough posturing by its party president Chirag Paswan against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

It is against this backdrop that the role of Nadda becomes all the more important as he enjoys a good rapport with JD (U) chief Nitish as well as LJP president Chirag. Besides, the new entrant in the BJP-led alliance, former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi too has to be adjusted within the 243 constituencies.

“Nadda ji is in Bihar for two days where he will hold parleys with Nitish ji on Saturday. Chances are the two top leaders will discuss seat-sharing issues too,” said State BJP president and party Lok Sabha member Sanjay Jaiswal.

Speculation is rife that the JD (U) and the BJP will contest on the basis of 50:50 ratio. While the JD (U) will adjust Manjhi’s HAM from its quota of seats, the BJP will allot seats to the LJP from its quota of constituencies.

“Another possibility is that the JD (U) and the BJP contest 100 seats each and leave the rest 43 seats for the LJP and the HAM,” a senior ruling party functionary, on the condition of anonymity, told DH on Friday. “The final seat-sharing pact will be announced by the top leaders of NDA allies later this month,” said the source.