Bihar polls: NDA constituents like LJP, HAM may spar over some seats, Bihar Assembly elections 2015,Bihar Election news, LJP, HAM,NDA,seat sharing bihar
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- Category: Bihar Political News
- Last Updated: Friday, 18 September 2015 17:24
Bihar polls: NDA constituents like LJP, HAM may spar over some seats, Bihar Assembly elections 2015,Bihar Election news, LJP, HAM,NDA,seat sharing bihar
NEW DELHI: The National Democratic Alliance's seat-sharing troubles in Bihar are far from over with the BJP's three alliance partners bargaining hard for certain seats, which may result in 'friendly fights' between them in some constituencies.
Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), for example, are fighting over Jamui and Chakia seats. LJP, whose Chirag Paswan represents Jamui Lok Sabha constituency, is making it a prestige issue to field its candidates in these two seats. However, Manjhi is keen to make sons of his close associate and former minister Narendra Singh contest from the two seats.
Paswan is in talks with Bharatiya Janata Party for Jamui and Chakia seats, party sources said. "In case the BJP does not agree and Manjhi is adamant then LJP may put up its candidates for these two seats in addition to the 40 in its share," a party leader said.
Paswan is expected to announce candidates for 29 of the 40 seats that his party will contest under the NDA on Friday. Kushwaha and Manjhi are likely to come out with their first list in a couple of days.
There could also be a tussle among the BJP allies over seats located in the Seemanchal region, which has a sizable minority population.
In the hard negotiations underway, BJP may also consider fielding some candidates from the NDA parties on its own ticket or vice versa as a way out.
"In the recent Vidhan Parishad elections, a candidate fielded by LJP was actually a BJP leader. The same formula will be replicated in some Assembly seats as well," a BJP leader said.
Discussions between BJP and its three allies are on to sort out differences and then put the campaign in top gear. But, despite the efforts of senior BJP leaders, there is a likelihood of LJP, HAM and RLSP engaging in friendly fights on some seats, sources said.
With chief minister Nitish Kumar announcing that the Janata Parivar Mahagatbandhan — the alliance of Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Congress — will declare its candidates on September 19, there is pressure on the NDA to put its house in order.
src: economictimes