In the NDA's seat-sharing scenario in Bihar, RLJP chief Pashupati Paras found himself empty-handed, with not a single seat allocated to his party. This sparked rampant speculation that Paras might exhibit rebellious tendencies and consider moving to the INDIA bloc, but he has now unequivocally stated his commitment to remaining with the NDA. Sharing a post on social media platform X, he wrote, 'Our party RLJP is an integral part of the NDA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also our leader, and his decisions are paramount for us.'
Following the NDA's failure to allocate any seats to his party, Paras resigned from his post as the Minister of Food Processing Industries. He lamented, 'There has been an injustice to me and my party; we were not given a single seat.' Until his resignation, Paras had been a part of the Modi government.
Paras' discontent, especially over Chirag Paswan's LJP-R receiving 5 Lok Sabha seats in the sharing, was well-known. He was most aggrieved that his party was overlooked and consulted in no way prior to the announcement of the seat-sharing arrangement.
After a prolonged period of discontent, Paras finally broke his silence. He asserts, 'Our party RLJP is an integral part of the NDA. Under PM Modi's leadership, the NDA will secure more than 400 seats nationwide and form the government for a third consecutive time with a record-breaking majority.'
What's the NDA's Seat-Sharing Formula in Bihar?
In Bihar, the seat allocation within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is clearly defined. The BJP is contesting 17 seats, whereas the JDU has garnered 16 seats. When speaking of the other allies, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has bagged 5 seats, Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM party has received 1, and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal has also secured 1 seat. However, no seats were allotted to Pashupati Paras' RLJP.
There Were Speculations About Moving to the INDIA Bloc
Sources suggest Pashupati Paras made substantial efforts to acquire some seats within the NDA. He had even hinted that his party was independent and open to any direction, suggesting they were ready to join any block if not accorded due respect. Post seat-sharing decisions, there were rumors about Paras contemplating an alignment with the INDIA bloc.
