Bihar Assembly polls: RJD, JD(U) and Congress announce seat-sharing formula

Patna: Announcing the seat sharing formula for the poll bound state, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday said that the RJD and JD(U) will contest 100 seats each and the Congress will contest 40 seats. He also expressed hope that other parties such as the NCP and the INLD will join the coalition.

Terming the alliance as a ‘Mahagathbandhan’, Nitish Kumar, who was speaking at a joint press conference with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Congress leader C P Joshi, said that they will form the next government together.

Kumar also questioned about the change that the Prime Minister was promising in the state.

Read: Will send DNA samples of 50 lakh people of Bihar, Nitish Kumar tells Narendra Modi

He further pulled up NDA government for their poll promises made during the Lok Sabha elections. “They said during the Lok Sabha poll campaign that they will completely decriminalize politics in 1 year. Nothing of the sort happened. If they make it a point not to give election ticket to tainted people in their party, even we wouldn’t,” said Kumar.

“The PM has insulted the people of Bihar, the people will teach him a lesson…We have accommodated each other to fight fascist and communal forces in India,” Lalu Prasad said, and added that the 'Swabhimaan Rally' will be held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on August 30.

Speaking about the coalition, Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “Wherever there are differences, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav will sit together and solve it. We are united and will defeat the BJP.”

Read: Bihar is not Nitish Kumar and Nitish Kumar is not Bihar: NDA

Earlier, the Janata Dal (United) launched a digital campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's DNA remark, asking him to withdraw his barb directed at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The JD (U) in its campaign says that Prime Minister Modi has disrespected the lineage and legacy of elected leader Nitish and offended the collective sensibilities of the people of Bihar. Expressing disappointment with the Prime Minister's remark, the JD (U) says that the statement is unbecoming of the office which he holds.

The JD (U) further says that in a democracy when an elected leader fails to respect the popular sentiment, people are bound to respond using democratic means to convey their needs and demands.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been mounting pressure on Prime Minister Modi to withdraw his unwarranted remark, had earlier said that he is proud to be a 'Bihari' and added that he does not find any defect in his DNA.

Read: Nitish Kumar hits back at Modi’s DNA remark; writes open letter

"I am proud to be a Bihari. I don't have any defect in my DNA. You can get it checked if you have doubts," he tweeted.

Nitish also urged his followers on twitter to sign a petition, asking the Prime Minister to take back his words.

"Just signed a petition asking the Modiji to #TakeBackYourWords and 'ShabdWapasi' (take back your words)," he added.

The Janata Dal (United) has rolled out its 'Shabd Wapsi' campaign as part of which DNA samples along with signatures will be sent to Prime Minister Modi, demanding that he retracts his DNA barb.