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The BJP seems to be close to finalising a seat-sharing agreement with its allies in Bihar, with Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan likely to score over his estranged uncle and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras.
Sources said Chirag’s demand for five Lok Sabha seats is likely to be accepted by the BJP, which may placate the RLJP chief some other way.
According to the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP and JD(U) are likely to contest an equal number of seats while the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD) of Upendra Kushwaha and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) are to get one seat each. The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) of Mukesh Sahani, who belongs to the Mallah community which falls under the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) category, is also likely to get one seat.
Sources in the NDA said chances of alliance partners swapping seats cannot be ruled out. Chirag may be fielded from the Hajipur seat, which is currently represented by Paras, and the LJP(R) may also get Vaishali and Nawada. However, there is no clarity yet on whether the Chirag-led outfit would contest Jamui, Khagaria or Samastipur. The BJP may field its candidate from one seat that the then united LJP contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
“The choice is between Khagaria and Samastipur. If the BJP keeps Samastipur, it will face a dilemma regarding fielding sitting MPs Prince Raj (son of Ram Vilas Paswan’s youngest brother Ramchandra Paswan) and Paras. It is up to them how they can defuse the tension in the Paswan family,” an LJP(R) source said.
The JD(U) and BJP are also likely to swap a few seats as a part of their strategy. Sources said the JD(U) is keen to contest the Jamui seat, the BJP has been urging its ally to give the Kishanganj seat in exchange for some other seat. The LJP(R) is also eyeing the Valmiki Nagar seat, currently represented by the JD(U).
The biggest loser in seat sharing, mostly due to the return of the JD(U) to the NDA, seems to be Kushwaha, who had been demanding at least two seats. However, BJP sources said he may now be given only one – Karakat – which he had won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and is currently represented by the JD(U)’s Mahabali Singh. Manjhi is likely to be fielded from Gaya, currently represented by the JD(U)’s Vijay Kumar.
Sahani, who has been demanding the announcement of an EBC quota for the Mallah or Nishad community as a pre-condition for joining the NDA, is reportedly eyeing the Muzaffarpur or Khagaria Lok Sabha seat.
Paras, meanwhile, held a meeting with his party leaders to decide the future course of action.
“He needs the NDA to survive and contesting as a rebel from Hajipur may not work,” a BJP leader said pointing out how Paras in 2019 had desperately sought help from the JD(U) to convince the BJP to leave the Paswan stronghold of Hajipur for him.
