Patna: After the Election commission announced the election dates in Bihar, now the NDA and the Grand Alliance are in their final preparations for seat sharing in which Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will also play a crucial role. LJP has called for a parliamentary party meeting in Patna tomorrow to take a final call on seat-sharing. According to party sources, this will be the last meeting to be held before the Bihar elections. The process of nomination of candidates for the first phase of Bihar elections 2020 to be held in three phases has started from 1 October. At the same time, the NDA has not yet announced its decision on coalition and seat-sharing.
Will LJP contest 143 seats?
In fact, the LJP has indicated that if there is no 'respectable' distribution of seats, it can field its candidates in 143 seats in the state. In the 2015 elections, LJP had contested 42 seats and could win only two seats. In that election, JDU was part of the Grand Alliance. It had defeated NDA in collaboration with RJD and Congress.
Offer of 27+2 after claim of 42 seats
BJP had offered 27 assembly seats and two seats in the legislative council to the LJP though LJP chief Chirag Paswan had staked a claim on 43 assembly seats. LJP leaders had made it clear that they would break away from NDA if fewer seats are offered and contest the election on its own. Although LJP has not released any official statement till date.
LJP was offered 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. The 27 seats include those which fall in Chirag Paswan’s two parliamentary constituencies of Jamui and Sikandara.
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Formal announcement of seats likely on October 3 or 4
However, after Amit Shah's entry in seat sharing, speculation is being made that all efforts will be made to keep the LJP in the NDA. There is a possibility that the leaders of all the constituents of the NDA can formally announce the seats on October 3 or 4 by sitting in Delhi itself.
How many seats will BJP-JDU contest?
In the meantime, according to sources, the NDA has prepared its formula of seat-sharing. Out of 243 seats in Bihar Assembly, BJP-JDU is likely to fight on 50 per cent seats each. In that case, BJP will contest on 121 seats and JDU will contest on 122 seats. BJP will give seats to LJP from its quota while JDU will give seats to Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha from its quota.
Formula 2010 for mission 2020
JDU has demanded more seats, but it has also been told to follow the seat-sharing formula of 2010. In 2010, JDU had contested on141 while BJP had contested 102 seats. In that election, JDU had won 115 seats and BJP won 91 seats. Lalu Yadav's party RJD could win only 22 seats. But this time, LJP and HAM are also part of NDA.
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