All Is Well, Says NDA on Bihar Poll Alliances

New Delhi: Amid signs of unease within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, BJP leader Nityanand Rai, who was in talks with Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, on Thursday said “everything is positive” between the two allies.

Coming out of Paswan’s house with Paswan, Rai told waiting reporters: “The smile on our faces tells the story. Everything is positive.” Paswan, who is a Union minister in the Modi government, briefly added that the details will be shared later.

Rai later met Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union minister in charge of the BJP’s Bihar elections, and briefed him about the discussions. He is among the BJP leaders negotiating with their allies to finalize seat sharing in the two-phase elections in the 243-member Assembly scheduled to be held on November 6 and 11.

Both Paswan and Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, another Dalit ally of the BJP, are said to be driving a hard bargain over the number and selection of constituencies. While the LJP (Ram Vilas) is seeking at least 40 seats, the Hindustani Awam Morcha led by Mr. Manjhi is seeking 15 seats.

Earlier in the day, LJP (RV) MPs met in Patna and authorized Paswan to take the final decision on seat sharing. “Chirag Paswan ji’s decision for all 243 seats will be acceptable to us,” said Arun Bharti, the party’s Jamui MP and Bihar elections in-charge.

Meanwhile, the Bihar unit of the BJP also held a meeting in Patna, attended by party co-chairman Vinod Tawde, deputy chief ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vinay Sinha and other senior leaders.

Party insiders said the BJP has completed candidate selection at the state level and has prepared panels of three potential candidates for each seat. These names will be discussed at the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in Delhi.

Sources stated that the core group of the BJP will meet in Delhi on October 11, followed by the CEC meeting on October 12, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and other senior leaders. The first list of NDA candidates is expected to be announced on October 13.

Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, remains the BJP’s biggest ally in Bihar. Other NDA partners include Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party.