JOIN USJD (U) to contest 122 seats, BJP gets 121 in Bihar Assembly polls
Two days after the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) made it clear that it would put up candidates against all the JD (U) nominees in Bihar, the NDA on Tuesday sealed the deal for Bihar Assembly elections keeping the LJP out of the alliance.
As per the seat-sharing pact, the JD (U) and the BJP will contest the ensuing poll on a 50:50 formula, wherein the Nitish’s outfit will contest on 122 seats, the BJP would field its nominees on 121 seats out of 243 constituencies in the State. Besides, in a clear snub to the LJP chief Chirag Paswan, the NDA made it clear that Nitish will be the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.
“Of the 122 seats, the JD (U) will adjust Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM (Hindustan Awam Morcha) from its quota, while the BJP will adjust the newly-inducted alliance partner Mukesh Sahni’s VIP, who, two days back, quit Mahagatbandhan,” said Chief Minister and national president of the JD (U) Nitish Kumar.
The seat pact was announced at a joint Press conference by the BJP and the JD (U) here on Tuesday where the leaders of both the parties tried to dispel the impression that BJP was propping up Chirag from behind the curtains. “Kaun kya kehta hai, hamein koi matlab nahi (I am least bothered about who says what),” said Nitish without naming Chirag.
“Those who are deriding me should first answer whether Ram Vilas Paswan became a Rajya Sabha member without JD (U)'s support? The LJP had merely three legislators. Can you become a member of the Upper House with this negligible strength?” asked Nitish and added, “Paswan Ji is an old friend. He is not well and recuperating in a hospital. We wish him speedy recovery.”
It was then left to the senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi to further clear the air. “Nitish Kumar is our chief ministerial candidate. Those who will not accept this reality will be out of the NDA,” said Modi.
“If required, we will petition the Election Commission to not allow anyone, other than the NDA leaders, to use PM Narendra Modi’s photograph for the election rallies,” added Modi, in an oblique reference to LJP chief Chirag Paswan who reiterated today that his party was in alliance with the BJP and “would take PM Modi’s vision to the people”.
Chirag has already made it clear he would field his nominees against Nitish’s candidates, as his “sole agenda was to defeat Nitish.”
Soon after the NDA Press meet, the LJP reacted to the BJP’s threat of approaching EC for use of Modi’s photograph. “Narendra Modi is Prime Minister of not only the BJP. He is even our PM. We have every right to use his photograph during poll campaign,” said Sanjay Singh, spokesperson of the LJP, the estranged ally of the JD (U).
Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal said, "The LJP is our ally at the Centre and we pray for early recovery of its founder and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. But there should be no confusion with regard to the fact that in Bihar the NDAs leader is Nitish Kumar. Our alliance with his party is atoot (unbreakable)."