Seat-sharing, ticket announcements on Sunday, says Bihar BJP chief

NDA allies like Rashtriya Lok Morcha have rejected the talk of rift, but Hindustani Awam Morcha, Lok Janshakti Party are seeking more seats in the share

Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal on Saturday said that the party’s central leadership will make important announcements regarding seat sharing with NDA constituents and ticket distribution for the upcoming assembly elections on Sunday.

 

Addressing a press conference, the senior BJP leader dismissed speculations about rumblings of discontent among NDA constituents in the state. “Everything is fine in the NDA... seat-sharing arrangements and the list of candidates will soon be decided by the party's central leadership, which will make important announcements related to seat sharing and tickets at 11 am on Sunday," Jaiswal said in a press conference here.

 

NDA allies reject talk of rift

 

Earlier in the day, NDA constituent Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) Chief Upendra Kushwaha also dismissed speculations about discontent and said that talks for seat sharing have not yet concluded.

 

The former Union minister, in an X post, said, “Don't pay attention to rumours floating around. The talks are not yet concluded. Wait...! I don't know how the news is being circulated in the media. If someone is planting news, it's deceit, it's betrayal."

 

HAM, LJP seek more seats

 

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had earlier said that he was “requesting and not making a claim” that his Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) be given a respectable number of seats, otherwise the party might not contest the election.

 

Another Union minister, Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which had earlier settled for around 20-22 seats, is now reportedly asking for at least 25 more.

 

“It will be a humiliation for me and my party if we are not given at least 15 seats in the coming assembly polls. If we get 15, we can easily win at least 8-9 seats and will become a recognised party,” Manjhi had said.

 

Even after 10 years of establishment, HAM remains an unrecognised party. “I have been helping the NDA for a long time. So, I am requesting the NDA leaders and not making a claim. My party would prefer not to contest the polls, if we don't get a respectable number of seats. But I must make it clear that even if we don't contest polls, our party will keep working for the NDA partners in the coming polls,” Manjhi said.

 

Poll schedule and seat distribution

 

Assembly elections in the state will be held on November 6 and 11, while votes will be counted on November 14.

  According to sources in the NDA, the bigger allies JD(U) and the BJP are likely to contest 102 and 101 seats, respectively. LJP (Ram Vilas), which had earlier settled for around 20-22 seats, is now asking for at least 25 more. Senior leaders in the LJP (RV) are of the opinion that the party should get at least 45 seats, said a party leader on the condition of anonymity.

 

(With inputs from PTI)