DIVISIONS IN LJP THREATEN NDA'S BIHAR POLL PROSPECTS

Of the total of six reserved Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, five have been allotted by NDA to BJP allies—four to Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Ram Vilas faction and one that will be contested by Jitan Ram Majhi of Hindustani Avam Morcha (HAM).

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The lone remaining reserved seat that will be contested by a BJP candidate is that of Sasaram, where its candidate will be Shivesh Ram.

Overall in Bihar, as per the seat distribution arrangements between National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, five seats have been given to LJP, 16 to Nitish Kumar led Janata Dal (United), one to Upendra Kushwaha and one to HAM with the remaining 17 to be contested by BJP candidates.

The Chirag Paswan led faction will contest in Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui. Of these five, Chirag is himself contesting from Hajipur while his brother in law is contesting from Jamui. From Khagaria he has given the ticket to the 32-year-old Rajesh Verma who is a Bhagalpur based businessman with interest in gold and real estate. Of the remaining two, Veena Devi has been renominated from Vaishali while the 25-yearold Shambhavi Chowdhary, who is the daughter of JDU minister and former state Congress president Ashok Chowdhary, will be making her political debut from Samastipur.

However, the significant number of seat allocation to LJP, which is now being led by Chirag Paswan, has emerged as an avoidable challenge for BJP strategists.

BJP leaders, across caste and community, who have stakes in these seats, while speaking to The Sunday Guardian, said that they will not give their hundred per cent while campaigning and canvassing for votes for LJP candidates as claims of BJP workers and leaders who were working on these seats with a hope to get tickets have been neglected.

According to state BJP leaders, this time in wake of a “weakened” JDU, they had hopes that their party would contest on at least 22-25 out of total 40 seats including three reserved seats in Bihar. However, neither of the two expectations were met.