Seat-sharing proposal with BJP likely in a month: Nitish Kumar after meal diplomacy

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the decision on seat sharing among all constituents of NDA for 2019 general elections is likely to get resolved within a month.

“We have not yet received any proposal on the issue of seat sharing till now but hope that all this will get resolved within a month”, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP President Amit Shah had met over breakfast and dinner last week to discuss the current political scenario. It was being speculated in the political circle that both the leaders would talk and resolve the issue of seat sharing during their closed-door meeting last week.

However, on Monday Kumar clarified that the issue has not been resolved and a proposal on the issue is likely to be sent to all NDA constituent within a month.

This was Nitish Kumar’s first reaction after holding talks with Amit Shah last week. He also declined to divulge much about his meeting but said, “It was natural for both the leaders to meet and talk as our parties are running the government in Bihar. It will not be proper to speak about our meeting”.

Sources said that the BJP is currently busy figuring out a formula to appease all NDA constituents. According to reports, the JD (U) is likely to get an offer to contest on 12 seats while the BJP may send a proposal of two seats to Upendra Kushwaha led RLSP who had contested and won three seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

On Sunday, Kushwaha had said that “seat sharing issue can only be resolved by holding a joint meeting of NDA constituents”.

Nitish Kumar also clarified his stand on special status category and said that issue will be raised before the finance commission during an all-party meeting. He said the issue is being raised since 2006 and all parties in Bihar have supported it.

“The 14th finance commission in its report had said that special status is not required but we will continue to raise it. We will put it forward before the 15th finance commission”.