Chirag’s new formula against BJP’s 27+ 2 seats offer

Lok Janshakti Party Chirag Paswan is mounting pressure on BJP and JDU to extract more seats for LJP in the coming assembly election. In the last election when JDU was not with the NDA, LJP had the opportunity to contest as many as 40 seats.

Patna: Nomination for the first phase of Bihar assembly elections is scheduled to begin on October 1. But the seat-sharing in the NDA has not been agreed upon yet. Meanwhile, LJP supremo Chirag Paswan is said to have met BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi. They discussed the issue of seat-sharing.

Like as in 2015, the LJP has staked its claim to contest on 42 assembly seats. LJP’s argument is that in 2014 it had contested on 7 Lok Sabha elections and therefore the party was allotted six assembly seats for each of the seven Lok Sabha seats. In the 2019 election, his party had contested from six Lok Sabha seats and was allotted one Rajya Sabha seat. Accordingly, this time too it should be allotted 42 assembly seats to contest.

Chirag Paswan met J P Nadda

In case LJP does not get to contest 42 assembly seats under the seat-sharing agreement in NDA, according to sources, Chirag Paswan has presented a new formula to the BJP. After the BJP offered 27+2 formula, Chirag Paswan made a revised proposal under which he wants the BJP to agree on the position of deputy chief minister, 33 assembly seats, two MLCs and one Rajya Sabha seat for the LJP.

BJP’s 27+2 offer after LJP’s demand for 42 seats

Earlier, the BJP had offered 27 assembly seats and two MLC seats after Chirag Paswan had presented his party’s demand for 42 assembly seats for LJP under the arrangement in NDA.

LJP leaders had made categorically clear to him that if the NDA offered lesser than the demand for 42 seats, they would break away from NDA and contest on their own. However, there has been no official communication from the LJP as yet.

Will Chirag get these 27 seats?

The seats BJP has offered include Govindganj, Bisfi, Araria, Bahadurganj, Kishanganj, Amour, Balrampur, Madhepura, Alinagar, Kewati, Baruraj, Garkha, Parsa, Lalganj, Rajpakkad, Teghra, Aloli, Kahalgaon, Maner, Obra, Kutumba , Belaganj, Rajauli, Sikandra, Jamui and Katoria seats. The list of 27 assembly seats is included in Chirag Paswan’s two Lok Sabha constituencies of Jamui and Sikandara.

LJP had performed well in February 2005

Looking back at the Lok Janashakti Party’s performance in the last few assembly elections, Ramvilas Paswan had formed the Lok Janashakti Party in 2000 after breaking away from the Janata Dal-United. In the 2005 Bihar assembly election, Ramvilas Paswan formed an alliance with RJD and the Congress. In this election, LJP had won 29 seats which gave Paswan the key to power. However, because of conditions set forward by Paswan, no one had a majority and could not form the government.

LJP’s performance in 2005-2010

The election was held again in October 2005. Ramvilas Paswan was so enthused by the victory in February that he contested the October election alone and fielded his party’s candidates on 203 seats. However, the LJP could win only ten seats out of the total 203 it had contested. In the 2010 election LJP formed an alliance with the RJD. But this time, LJP could win only three seats, registering a loss of seven seats.

LJP’s performance in 2015

LJP joined NDA in 2015. BJP gave it 40 seats from out of 243 to contest. However, LJP could win just two seats. One can speculate its fate if LJP breaks away from NDA and contests all the 243 seats on its own.

2019 Lok Sabha election

As for the alliance between BJP and JDU, the JDU had won more seats than the BJP, except in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. In 2019, both the parties had contested 17 Lok Sabha seats each while he LJP was allotted six seats.