In Bihar NDA and INDIA Alliances Navigate Complexities Of Seat Sharing With Caution

The allocation of seats for the Lok Sabha elections has become a contentious issue for both the NDA and the INDIA bloc in Bihar.

While the BJP has been claiming that it has managed to resolve the issue, sources said that the party faced difficulties and delays due to differences between Chirag Paswan of the LJP and RLJP, a faction being led by his uncle Pashupati Paras.

Reports suggest that the seat-sharing deal in the NDA was finalized after Chirag Paswan met BJP president JP Nadda in New Delhi Wednesday evening and discussed the issue. Sources aware of the development said that Chirag Paswan is likely to field candidates in five Lok Sabha seats including the prestigious Hajipur seat.

“As a member of the NDA, we have finalized the seat-sharing deal in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The same will be announced in due course”, LJP Chief and MP Chirag Paswan said after he met BJP President JP Nadda.

Other NDA partners including Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Manch (RLM) and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) are likely to get one seat each for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Former Bihar Minister and President of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) Mukesh Sahani has also been holding talks with the BJP leadership.

Amid the development, Pashupati Paras is reportedly displeased with the BJP leadership over Chirag Paswan’s successful seat-sharing deal. Sources familiar with the situation mentioned that the RJD is planning to make an offer for a “respectable” seat-sharing deal with Pashupati Paras if his talks with the BJP fail.

The BJP is also facing challenges in resolving the seat-sharing issue with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U). Insiders said that the JD(U) aims to contest all the seats it won during the previous Lok Sabha elections.

“There is no trouble anywhere. The NDA is intact and will soon resolve the seat-sharing deal with all our allies”, BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP, JD(U) and the LJP jointly contested and secured 39 out of 40 seats in Bihar. The BJP-JD(U) had contested 17 seats each. While the BJP won all 17 seats its partner JD(U) managed to secure 16 seats. The LJP contested and won all six seats.

The opposition bloc in Bihar, the RJD is also likely to encounter challenges in finalizing a seat-sharing deal with its partners in Bihar. According to Congress insiders, the party has demanded 15 seats for its candidates to contest in the Lok Sabha elections.

Reports also indicate that the RJD-Congress alliance may also alter its strategy following the decision of Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM to contest 11 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

The seats in which the AIMIM plans to field its candidates include four constituencies in the Seemanchal region of the state. According to an assessment, the Telangana-based AIMIM has managed to establish a political foothold in the Seemanchal region which has a significant Muslim population.

The RJD is concerned that Owaisi’s party may erode its Muslim voter base, especially in the Seemanchal region.