JD (U)’s big meet on March 4 to firm up a national plan for elections

The NDA in Bihar, which comprises BJP, JD (U) and the LJP, had already finalised the seat-sharing formula for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BJP and the JD (U) will contest on 17 seats each and the LJP six.

A day after the NDA’s Sankalp rally in the state capital on March 3, the JD (U) national executive will deliberate in the state capital on the party’s preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister of Bihar and JD(U) Chief Nitish Kumar (HT File)

The party will also explore its prospects of contesting LS polls outside Bihar as well. “The party is serious about expanding itself in other states too, so decision to contest elections outside Bihar can also be taken during the meeting,” JD (U) national general secretary K C Tyagi said.

The NDA in Bihar, which comprises BJP, JD (U) and the LJP, had already finalised the seat-sharing formula for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BJP and the JD (U) will contest on 17 seats each and the LJP six.

A senior JD (U) leader said a final stamp would be put on the 17 Lok Sabha seats to be contested by the party in the state during the meeting.

“The JD (U), at the moment, is exploring the option of contesting some seats in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and even Manipur,” said Tyagi.

The party has performed miserably in the recent Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan assembly elections.

The JD (U) contested on 12 seats each in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, but could manage only a total of 24,107 votes in two states. All its candidates lost their deposits in two states.

The JD (U) had earlier performed badly in Karnataka assembly elections, where it contested on 27 seats and lost on all. The party had performed below par in Gujarat, where it could not open its account even though it contested on 38 seats.

The party had earlier failed in Assam and Kerala, whereas it decided not to contest UP polls. In Nagaland, the party won on one seat.

The party contested on four seats in collaboration with AIUDF in Assam and could not win a single seat. In Kerala, where the JD (U) contested seven seats under the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) by selling the prohibition success story of Bihar, lost all seats, including those of two sitting MLAs.

EC criteria for a national party

6% of votes from 4

2% of total seats in Lok Sabha from at least 3 states

Should be recognised as a state party in at least 4 states

As of now, only BJP, Congress, CPI-M, BSP, CPI and NCP are recognised as national parties.

Besides, there are 47 recognised state parties.