BJP to seal Bihar list on October 12; Congress slams ‘20-year misrule’

The BJP is poised to finalise its Bihar candidate slate on Sunday, 12 October, with the first list expected a day later, even as seat-sharing talks within the NDA move towards closure and new entrants sharpen the contest.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA/TIKAM SHARMA/ANAND SINGH

Party insiders said the state unit has forwarded a three-name panel for each constituency to the central leadership, which may still impose changes when the Central Election Committee meets in New Delhi. The BJP is likely to contest about 101-105 of the 243 seats; JD(U) is pushing for "at least 100", while Delhi negotiators have argued closer to 90 for JD(U). Allies are being placated with numbers broadly circling 27 for Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas), 10 for Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM, and six for Upendra Kushwaha's outfit, with scope for some BJP nominees to run on the HAM symbol. Senior leaders' kin have largely been kept out of the state panel, though the high command retains the option to draft them in the final cut.