Patna: The ruling NDA may announce seat-sharing deal on Sunday as union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi expressed dissatisfaction over the number of seats offered to his party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).
Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said that the seat-sharing deal within NDA would be announced jointly by all its five constituents in New Delhi on Sunday. He had earlier said that the seat-sharing formula among five allies of NDA would be formally announced by Saturday evening.
“A final decision on the seat-sharing pact has to be taken by the central leadership of the party,” he told the media.
Jaiswal said, “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.”
Sources said that the announcement has been deferred for a day due to union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s dissatisfaction over the number of seats offered to his party. Majhi had earlier said that HAM may not contest election if a respectable number of seats was not allotted to the party.
Manjhi had demanded at least 15 seats whereas BJP agreed to give seven-eight seats only. A senior HAM leader said, “We are seeking the opinion of senior leaders of the party on development on the seat-sharing deal. The second option not to contest the election is also open.”
Sources in BJP said that earlier in the day, union home minister Amit Shah held deliberations on seat shearing and ticket distribution among NDA partners at BJP chief JP Nadda's residence in New Delhi.
Sources said the seat sharing formula with the JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas) has almost been finalised while discussions were on with other two allies — HAM and RLM. RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday said that talks on the seat-sharing deal within NDA were still incomplete.
Meanwhile, LJP (RV) convened the central parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi. Party spokesperson Dhirendra Kumar said that the list of candidates sent by the Bihar Parliamentary Board was discussed. All members of the Central Parliamentary Board authorised the party president to take the final decision on the candidates, specifically, to decide which candidates would contest from which constituencies. Once the NDA announces the seat-sharing arrangement and it becomes clear how many seats each party will contest, the list of candidates for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections will be shared, he added.
