Amit Shah, Upendra Kushwaha meeting likely in Delhi on Monday

New Delhi: Amid reports that Union minister Upendra Kushwaha led Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief (RLSP) wants more Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to contest in 2019 than it did in 2014 and could switch camp over the seat sharing issue, BJP president Amit Shah is likely to meet the sulking ally on Monday.

Mr Kushwaha’s “chance meeting” with Bihar’s former deputy chief minister and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav in Arwal in the state after Mr Shah and Bihar CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar announced in New Delhi on Friday that their parties will contest on equal number of parliamentary seats, led rise to speculations that Mr Kushwaha is considering other options even though he clarified that he wants to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the country again. Though both the leaders announced that their parties will contest on equal number of seats, they did not disclose the seat sharing formula.  

In 2014, BJP had contested 30 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats, Ram Vilas Paswan led LJP contested  seven and RLSP had contested three parliamentary seats. JD(U) was not part of the NDA then and had contested with RJD and Congress.

Sources disclosed the JD(U) was under pressure from its cadre after reports that the BJP could contest more seats than it and the announcement made by Mr Shah and Mr Kumar was to assuage JD(U)’s cadre and leaders.