While CM Nitish Kumar is the undisputed face of the alliance, ‘seat-to-seat’ combat has always been a vexing affair for BJP and JD (U) with the regional party pressuring their ally to make concessions to accommodate the allies. new and old. . Kumar can be expected to cite the induction of the acting RJD MLAs and the alliance with Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) to seek some concessions. BJP, on the other hand, is likely to push for a 50:50 deal citing the sacrifice it made in the Lok Sabha polls when it gave JD (U) 17 seats despite the latter only getting two polling seats. of LS of 2014..
They also have to decide how to accommodate Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the sacrifices each will have to make. While the social alliance in general works for the NDA, the details of sharing seats are crucial as the entire caste balance of the coalition depends on it.
Kumar has tried to argue that LJP has to be accommodated by BJP, but the latter is unwilling to pay the entire bill. Paswan himself, along with his son Chirag, has been attacking Kumar, raising governance issues related to migrants and floods. BJP chief JP Nadda during his recent visit to Patna had met with most of the stakeholders, including Kumar, and sources said the two had already discussed the broader lines on which the exchange will be finalized. seats.
Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad expressed confidence that the NDA will win the majority. “We are confident that Nitish Kumarji will be CM again,” said Prasad, who is the deputy from Patna Sahib.
“There is no dispute between us. The alliance is strong and we compete as strong allies. Even the exchange of seats will be concluded amicably, ”JD (U) general secretary KC Tyagi told TOI. He further said that shared seat announcements will be made very soon.
The JD (U) member’s confidence in finalizing the seating arrangements amicably stems from previous instances where the two sides forged an alliance without any dispute. In 2010, the parties had an alliance when JD (U) won 118 seats and BJP 98. However, they fell apart before the 2014 LS elections with Kumar abandoning Narendra Modi’s candidacy as the BJP’s prime minister candidate. In the 2015 state elections, JD (U) joined RJD and defeated BJP. But Kumar rejoined the NDA in 2017.
.
