2019 LS polls: Mahagatbandhan seals seat sharing in Bihar; RJD gets 20 seats, Congress bags 9

As per the consensus worked out between the leaders of the Mahagatbandhan in Bihar on the seat distribution, the Rashtriya Janata Dal shall fight on 20 seats while the Congress will contest on 9 seats. Jitan Ram Majhi's and Mukesh Sahni’s Vikasheel Insaan Party shall be contesting on three seats each.

Mahagatbandhan announces Seat sharing in Bihar

New Delhi: The Mahagatbandhan, opposition's grand alliance in Bihar announced its seat distribution for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls via a press conference on Friday. As per the consensus worked out between the leaders of the Mahagatbandhan in Bihar on the seat distribution, the Rashtriya Janata Dal shall fight on 20 seats while the Congress will contest on 9 seats. Jitan Ram Majhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha‎ and Mukesh Sahni’s Vikasheel Insaan Party shall be contesting on three seats each. HAM president and former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Majhi shall be contesting the elections from the Gaya parliamentary constituency. Meanwhile Vibha Devi shall be fighting from the Nawada seat. Addressing the media on seat sharing with Congress, RJD spokesperson Manoj Kumar Jha said, "The alliance is being formed to save the Constitution. The grand alliance is a natural one." "We have decided nine seats for Congress and 20 seats for RJD," state RJD chief Ram Chandra Purve said. The HAM of former Jitan Ram Manjhi, RLSP of former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, NCP of Sharad Pawar, Left Parties, Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) of Mukesh Sahni are the other constituents of the grand alliance. As per sources, last attempts were made earlier in the day to convince Congress over the seat-sharing. The sources said that Congress has been given 9 seats, but the matter was stuck over 2 seats. The BJP on the other hand on Thursday finalised the candidates for the 17 Lok Sabha seats it will be contesting in Bihar and the names will be announced jointly with the allies, senior party leader J P Nadda said Thursday. The BJP is likely to repeat almost all its sitting MPs barring a few seats including Patna Sahib and Madhubani. Bihar will go to polls in seven phases between April 11 and May 19.