BJD-JD(U) talks on seat-sharing continue

BJP and JD(U) are involved in last minute hectic parleys to arrive at a seat-sharing formula in Bihar.

BJP and JD(U) are involved in last minute hectic parleys to arrive at a seat-sharing formula in Bihar.

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Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar arrived here late last night to hold further talks with the top BJP leadership including LK Advani.

BJP is slated to announce some of its candidates for the state after the central election committee (CEC) meet later on Friday.

JD(U) parliamentary board is also meeting here to take some “key decisions” ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

JD(U) is insisting on having two more seats from the BJP quota - Kishanganj and Madhubani - and a 26-14 formula in favour of it. Under the last arrangement, BJP got 16 seats.

“Kishanganj is needed but Madhubani is also important for JD(U) for the alliance to survive,” JD(U) spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari told reporters in Patna yesterday.

According to sources, BJP, which is on a defensive after its alliance collapsed with BJD in Orissa, may succumb to the demand of its alliance partner and may ‘compensate the extra seat´ given to JD(U) in Bihar by having more seats in Jharkhand in Uttar Pradesh from JD(U).