BJP frustrates allies in poll-bound Bihar

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday started formal discussions with allies in poll-bound Bihar.
However, under a well thought out strategy, the party has purposely delayed discussion on sharing of seats with its three regional allies in a bid to frustrate them.
BJP president Amit Shah met with federal ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha, who head the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) respectively, besides the former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi who recently floated his own Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) after splitting ranks with the state’s ruling Janata Dal (United). Senior state unit leaders of the BJP were also present at the meeting.
The party later explained that the Monday meeting was meant to display unity of the BJP and its allies who will contest the upcoming Bihar state legislative assembly elections under the banner of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
“Today we had an informal meet. Within a week we will decide on seat sharing for Bihar polls,” Paswan announced after the meeting.
BJP sources said that the Monday meeting discussed NDA’s strategy for Bihar polls. A detailed discussion on seat sharing could take place on September 5 and 6.
Both LJP and RLSP have been pressing for early settlement of seats so that they could start preparations and fan out to the voters.
The state’s ruling alliance named grand alliance has already announced that while the Janata Dal (United) would contest 100 seats, the Rashtriya Janata Dal of former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav would contest 98 seats.
The Congress party is to contest 40 seats whereas Samajwadi Party which rules neighbouring Bihar would get five seats in the 243-seat assembly. The grand alliance held its first successful rally in the state capital Patna on Sunday.
The rally was addressed by incumbent chief minister Nitish Kumar who is being projected as the grand alliance’s chief ministerial candidate, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress party president Sonia Gandhi. BJP is under growing pressure of its allies to finalise seat sharing at the earliest.
“Seat sharing is not an issue here... We will discuss on seat sharing and we will announce it then. Nitish ji and Lalu ji knows that the people of Bihar want change,” senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.