JD(U), BJP almost set for 102-101 seat deal in Bihar

JD(U) almost set for 102-101 seat deal in Bihar

- Sanjeev K Jha

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is on the verge of finalising its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, with the Janata Dal (United) set to contest one seat more than the Bharatiya Janata Party, after Union education minister and BJP’s state election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan met chief minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar in Patna on Sunday to give the final shape to the arrangement.

BJP leaders described it as a “courtesy meeting”, but people familiar with the matter confirmed that the numbers are close to being finalised.

According to JD(U) leaders familiar with the matter, their party will contest 102 seats to the BJP’s 101, honouring Kumar's insistence on “at least one more seat than BJP”, while Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 22, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), or HAMS, eight, and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha, four. The remaining six seats in the 243-member assembly have been “kepton reserve”, the JD(U) leaders added, pointing to smaller allies in the NDA that may need to be accommodated.