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 is holding talks with Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, said on Thursday that “everything is positive” between the two allies.

Emerging with Paswan from the latter’s residence, Rai told waiting reporters, “The smile on our faces tells the story. Everything is positive.” Paswan, a Union minister in the Modi government, added briefly that details would be shared later.

Rai later met Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP’s in-charge for the Bihar polls, to brief him on the discussions. He is among the BJP leaders negotiating with allies to finalise seat-sharing for the two-phase elections to the 243-member Assembly scheduled for 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 choice of constituencies. The LJP (Ram Vilas) has been seeking at least 40 seats, while the Hindustani Awam Morcha, led by Mr Manjhi, is demanding 15 seats.

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

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

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

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

The Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, remains the BJP’s largest 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.