After the announcement of seat sharing for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, differences have again emerged among the constituent parties of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). NDA’s two smaller allies, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rajya Sabha member Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLMO) got six seats each. Both the parties have expressed dissatisfaction with the seat sharing formula.
The NDA on Sunday had announced seat sharing for the 243-member assembly elections, under which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United (JDU) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest 101 seats each, while the remaining seats will be given to smaller constituent parties. Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will field candidates on 29 seats.
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Manjhi told reporters on Sunday, “We have accepted the decision taken from above.” But we have been underestimated by giving only six seats. This will impact NDA in the elections.” Whereas, after the announcement of seat sharing, Kushwaha, while addressing the party workers on ‘X’ late night, wrote, ‘Dear friends, I apologize to all of you. The number of seats we have got is not as per your expectation. I understand that this decision will hurt those colleagues who had expected to become candidates from our party.
He wrote, “Today food will not be cooked in many homes. Still, I am confident that you all will understand my and the party’s compulsions. I humbly request that first all your anger should calm down, then you will understand for yourself how right or wrong this decision was. Time will tell the rest.” Manjhi was demanding at least 15 seats to get recognition for his party. He returned to Patna just before the announcement of seat sharing in Delhi, although he did not adopt an openly rebellious stance. This is the first time that both the small constituent parties of NDA are contesting elections on equal number of seats in Bihar.
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Here, in Patna, Congress spokesperson Rajesh Rathore took a jibe at the NDA and said, “It is clear from the seat distribution that the BJP has limited Nitish Kumar.” Till now, JDU used to contest more seats than BJP in every election, but this time it is not so. This is a clear indication that in the coming days, BJP will swallow JDU completely.