Bihar polls: PM Modi chairs BJP CEC meet to finalise names of candidates

On a day when one of NDA's Bihar allies announced to go solo in the upcoming state polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the BJP Central Election Committee to finalise the names of candidates for the state assembly elections. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest an equal number of seats.

The meeting was attended by BJP Chief JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Election in-charge for Bihar Devendra Fadnavis, state party chief Sanjay Jaiswal and Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi who deliberated on the names of the candidates as well as the evolving political scenario in the state.

Read: LJP decides not to fight Bihar election under Nitish Kumar's leadership of NDA, creates buzz

While the LJP on Sunday decided to have no truck with the JD(U) in Bihar even as it vouchsafed support for the BJP post poll, Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insan Party quit the Opposition alliance yesterday. Sahani was earlier with the BJP.

Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi returned to the NDA fold after quitting the Opposition alliance last month. The former Union minister’s bid to forge a third front in alliance with the BSP in the state came a cropper with the state BJP chief himself joining the RJD. The BJP is taking into account all these factors.

The BJP and the JD(U), who have formalised a 50:50 seat-sharing formula, are expected to address a joint briefing in Patna on Monday.