The BJP is likely to contest on 30 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the 2024 general election and divide the rest among NDA constituents, sources told ABP News. The NDA is likely to give six seats to both factions of Lok Janshakti Party led by Lok Sabha member Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Kumar Paras.
One seat is likely to be given to Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) of former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.
There is buzz in the politicial circles that Manjhi may leave the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar and join BJP as he is allegedly miffed after his party was not invited for the mega Opposition meeting to be held in Patna on June 23.
The speculation got further credance after Manjhi's son Santosh Suman resigned from the Cabinet of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar earlier this week.
Jitan Ram Manjhi had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah a month ago even though he has not divulged any plans on joining the NDA.
The BJP has made up its mind to give two seats to Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party while one seat is likely to be offered to Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party.
The seat-sharing formula was arrived at the recent BJP core group meeting held n Delhi. BJP will finalise the seat to give to its allies after looking at the candidates fielded by the respective parties.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, NDA registered a spectacular victory in Bihar, clinching 39 out of the 40 seats, eight more than it won in 2014. However, at that time, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) was part of the NDA.
The JD(U) had won 16 out of its share of 17 seats. BJP had fought on equal number of seats and won all. The third alliance partner, LJP, also won on all the six seats it contested.
The Congress, which fought the polls in alliance which the RJD and three other regional parties, was only able to retain the minority dominated Kishanganj seat.