Bihar assembly election 2020: NDA likely to announce seat-sharing arrangement today

BJP’s Bihar in-charge Devendra Fadnavis and Bhupendra Yadav returned to Patna on Saturday ahead of the expected announcement

After two days of hectic deliberations in Patna and New Delhi, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to announce a seat-sharing agreement for Bihar assembly election by Saturday evening after Lok Janshakti Party (LJP)’s parliamentary board meeting scheduled for 5 pm.

Bihar BJP election incharge Devendra Fadnavis, BJP Bihar incharge Bhupender Yadav, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, state president Sanjay Jaiswal and deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi during party election committee meeting, in Patna on October 1. (PTI)

BJP’s Bihar in-charge Devendra Fadnavis and Bhupendra Yadav returned to Patna on Saturday ahead of the expected announcement. They flew to New Delhi on Friday for consultations with BJP chief J P Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah.

A BJP leader, who has been part of the seat-sharing talks said: “Wait till [Saturday] evening, everything will be clear.”

Another BJP functionary said Yadav and Fadnavis will be holding a final round of talks with local party leaders before meeting Janata Dal (United), or JD (U) president and chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Almost all seats have been discussed and the two leaders had gone to Delhi to discuss with senior leaders some demands of the allies.

A JD (U) functionary said the last-minute bargaining for seat-sharing has intensified. Talks between BJP and the JD-U have hit a roadblock over the division of over a dozen seats.

The LJP has also demanded “seats of its choice” as well as some of the seats which are in JD (U) and BJP’s strongholds.

“The LJP is stubborn. We are waiting for an outcome of their meeting in New Delhi,” said a third BJP leader.

The JD (U), which has maintained its alliance is only with the BJP, has left it to BJP to deal with LJP.

“It is up to the BJP to decide how many seats it wants to give to LJP. It is their internal matter. We are adjusting the Hindustani Awam Morcha,” said a JD (U) functionary. Asked about the formula, he said, “Wait for a day. We will definitely contest more [seats].”

Of the 243 seats, the BJP and the JD-U have more or less resolved the division of 123 as the parties have broadly agreed to retain the winning seats or strongholds. The parties are bargaining over the remaining 120.

The BJP wants to contest on an equal number of seats, which the JD-U is not comfortable with.