NDA finalises seat-sharing for 2019 in Bihar, say Sources; BJP, JDU to share 17 each

Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar had announced last week that both BJP and JDU will contest on an equal number of seats after granting a “respectable number of seats” to the allies in the state. The announcement came after the Bihar chief minister met Narendra Modi and Shah at each of their residences. Shah said that as of now the formula for distribution has been finalized, the decision on the number of seats will be taken in the subsequent meetings.

As per sources, Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party will be given only two seats and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party will be given four seats, while BJP and JDU will enjoy a share of 17 seats each, based on the 50-50 seat-sharing formula given by JDU and agreed by BJP. (PTI)

NEW DELHI: After Amit Shah and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar announced a 50-50 seat-sharing formula in Bihar for the Lok Sabha elections, sources say that the formula and the number for distribution of seats have been finalized. As per sources, Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party will be given only two seats and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party will be given four seats, while BJP and JDU will enjoy a share of 17 seats each, based on the 50-50 seat-sharing formula given by JDU and agreed by BJP. It is also reported that LJP will also get one Rajya Sabha seat for Ram Vilas Paswan. BJP, JD(U) seat-sharing deal - Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar had announced last week that both BJP and JDU will contest on an equal number of seats after granting a “respectable number of seats” to the allies in the state. The announcement came after the Bihar chief minister met Narendra Modi and Shah at each of their residences. Shah said that as of now the formula for distribution has been finalized, the decision on the number of seats will be taken in the subsequent meetings. It is reported that Kushwaha is angry over Shah's announcement of the BJP and the JD(U) contesting equal number of seats in Bihar. When Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Amit Shah had announced the seat-sharing formula for NDA, hours later, photographs of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and NDA ally and Kushwaha meeting had gone viral. Kushwaha, who had declared that he stands "firmly" with the NDA, had earlier said, “Amit Shah spoke of equal dissemination of seats between BJP and JDU, but hasn’t declared a number so far; from Amit Shah’s talks ‘equal’ doesn’t have a specific meaning”. He further said that “Till there is a meeting between all four parties, nothing can be said. So far no discussion has taken place between parties on the number of seats; Amit Shah has said that they will get equal seats”. Amit Shah had also said that Upendra Kushwaha is with them and that he will soon announce the division of seats. On Wednesday, after meeting with BJP state-incharge Bhupender Yadav, Kushwaha said that they had 'positive' discussion. RLSP's ungainly tenure in NDA - Kushwaha’s RLSP is a part of the BJP-led alliance in Bihar along with Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Ramvilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). Kushwaha, a former JD(U) leader who had quit the party in 2013, months after suspension on disciplinary grounds, had floated his own outfit and joined the NDA while Nitish Kumar's party was out of the BJP-led coalition. The decision of the BJP, which had won 22 seats in 2014 general elections, to treat as an equal the JD(U) that returned with a dismal tally of only two, is also being seen as a snub to Kushwaha, who has been viewing Kumar's return to the NDA with consternation. The RLSP had contested on three seats under the NDA banner in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and had won on all the seats. Kushwaha himself had won from the Karakat seat.