Seat-sharing finalized in NDA before Bihar Assembly elections. BJP and JDU get 101-101 seats, LJP gets 29. Smaller parties Kushwaha and Manjhi dissatisfied, but reiterated commitment to contest elections with the alliance.
Patna. Political stir continued over seat-sharing in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. NDA President and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan announced on social media on Tuesday that the issue of seat-sharing among alliance partners has been amicably resolved. He stated that candidate selection is progressing positively and all parties are fully prepared for the upcoming elections.
Agreement Reached After Amicable Discussions
Chirag Paswan wrote in his post that the seat-sharing issue among NDA parties has been resolved through discussions. He also mentioned that the final deliberations on which party will contest which seat are proceeding positively. On this occasion, Chirag praised the leadership of BJP and Janata Dal (United) (JDU) leaders Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. He emphasized the unity of all parties and stated that every party would participate in the elections with full commitment.
NDA's Final Formula
According to the declared agreement, the BJP and Janata Dal (United) have been allotted 101-101 seats. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has been given 29 seats. Additionally, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) have been allocated six seats each. This formula is considered a step towards finalizing the election strategy for the NDA.
Kushwaha and Manjhi's Displeasure
However, leaders of smaller parties are displeased with this seat-sharing arrangement. RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi expressed dissatisfaction with the formula. Both leaders had previously demanded more seats. Kushwaha had asked for 24 seats and HAM for 40, but they only received six seats each. Despite this decision, both leaders reiterated their commitment to remain in the NDA and contest the elections with the alliance.
Kushwaha's Message
On Monday, Upendra Kushwaha apologized to his supporters in a social media post. He stated that the number of seats could not meet the expectations of him and his supporters. He wrote that this decision might disappoint thousands of people, including those allies who aspired to become party candidates. Kushwaha also emphasized that maintaining the unity of the alliance is currently a priority, and all parties must compromise for this.
Expectations of Smaller Parties
According to information, maintaining balance within the NDA could be challenging due to the dissatisfaction of smaller parties. The cooperation of smaller parties, in addition to BJP and JDU, is crucial for NDA's victory. Therefore, discussions regarding seat-sharing within the alliance were ongoing. Chirag Paswan ensured that a positive message was shared on social media to demonstrate the alliance's unity.
