As Bihar readies for Parliamentary elections, seat-sharing negotiations are stirring up unrest within the NDA camp. Although BJP has released a list of 195 candidates from its quota, the seat demands from allied parties are complicating the high command's plight. Delay in seat allocation is seen as a sign of internal strife within the NDA.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visiting Bihar for the second time in five days on Wednesday, addressed a gathering in Bettiah. Previously on March 2nd, he was at Aurangabad and Begusarai. While Nitish Kumar graced both events standing by the PM, who accorded him a special treatment, Chirag Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha were notably absent. Their silence remains unbroken despite mounting questions, while the RJD suggests a 'head-splitting' situation in the NDA.
Read this too:
Kushwaha and Chirag skip PM's rally
The BJP has stated that since these were official government programs, protocol prevented the inclusion of certain people. According to sources, Upendra Kushwaha was invited to the Aurangabad event, but as he holds neither MLA nor MP status, he couldn't be given a stage spot in a government event. This likely led to him distancing himself later on. Chirag Paswan, an MP, was also invited to the Begusarai event, but due to the official nature of the program, he may have had to sit in the backseat, perhaps a reason for his absence. However, the absence of these two NDA leaders from PM Modi's rallies raises questions. The opposition coalition considers this indicative of discord within the NDA.
Six parties part of Bihar's NDA
The possibility of a timely decision on seat distribution within Bihar's NDA seems dim. The Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, is due for an international tour from March 7-13. That said, he could meet the BJP high command in Delhi before his departure. In Bihar, the JDU, split factions of LJP led by Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Paras, the RLSP led by Upendra Kushwaha, and Jitan Ram Manjhi's party, HAM are all part of the NDA. In the mix are six parties hopeful for seats in the looming Parliamentary elections.
If the 2019 seat-sharing formula is to be scrutinized, it reveals that BJP alone has 17 seats out of the 40 in the Lok Sabha. JDU has 16 sitting MPs. The extent to which JDU honors the coalition dharma remains to be seen.
Read this too:
The uncle-nephew tug-of-war over eight seats
In the last election, the LJP won six seats but subsequently split. The current issue is caught between Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Paras, where the uncle demands two seats while the nephew insists on six. In total, BJP-JDU currently holds 33 MPs, leaving seven seats from Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats. How BJP will accommodate the demands of the remaining four allied parties remains in focus. There's also talk that the BJP isn't willing to contest fewer seats than JDU. To maintain allied support, BJP might have to reallocate some of its own seats to them.
Six NDA allies in Bihar vying for eleven seats
Upendra Kushwaha aims for at least two seats for his party, while Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM is considered a lock for one seat. Thus, the four allied parties demand eleven seats where BJP-JDU already occupies 33 out of the 40. Rumors suggest BJP is not in the mood to contest fewer seats than JDU. How the BJP meets its allies' expectations remains to be seen.
Modi-Nitish seen together on stage after 18 months, PM's first tour in Bihar post NDA government formation
'Seat-sharing formula decided, announcement pending'
BJP's state spokesperson, Manoj Sharma, asserts that the seat-sharing formula is set and will be officially announced after the appropriate meetings. JDU also corroborates a timely seat distribution, advising the RJD to focus on their concerns rather than the NDA's. JDU spokesperson Abhishek Jha emphasizes NDA's unity, and reasons Nitish Kumar's absence from the Bettiah rally to his international trip.
