PATNA: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday announced a seat-sharing pact in Bihar for the Lok Sabha elections under which the BJP would contest 17 seats, JD (U) 16 and Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas) five. Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustanti Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha will contest one seat each.
NDA’s ally Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Morcha (RLJM) led by Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras has not been given any seat.
According to the seat-sharing deal, the BJP will contest from West Champaran, East Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Ujiarpur, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Ara, Buxar and Sasaram seats.
On the other hand, the JD (U) will field its candidates in Valmikinagar, Sitamarhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnea, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nalanda, Jehanabad and Sheohar.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has been allotted Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui. The HAM has been given the Gaya seat while the Karakat seat has gone to the RLM.
HAM patron and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is likely to contest from Gaya, presently held by JD (U) MP Vijay Kumar.
Both the HAM and the then Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (now RLM) were constituents of the grand alliance in 2019.
According to the new seat-sharing pact, Nawada seat has been given to the BJP. The united LJP had won the seat in the 2019 election. Chandan Singh, brother of don-turned politician Surajbhan Singh, is the sitting MP from Nawada.
Similarly, the BJP has given its Sheohar seat to the JD(U). Rama Devi of BJP had won from Sheohar in the last Lok Sabha election. The JD(U) has left the Gaya and Karakat seats for the HAM and RLM, respectively.
Sources said that former Vaishali MP Lovely Anand is likely to be fielded from Sheohar. She has already expressed her willingness to contest from there. Lovely is the wife of former MP Anand Mohan, who had earlier represented the seat in the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha elections in Bihar are set to take place in seven phases, starting from April 19. The NDA had secured 39 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. The BJP had won 17 seats, JD(U) 16 and LJP six. The JD(U) had contested 17 seats but lost Kishanganj to the Congress.
The RJD, a major partner in the grand alliance or mahagathbandhan, had failed to open its account in the last election.
The grand alliance which comprises the RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI and CPI(M) is yet to announce its seat-sharing arrangements. Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has announced that it will contest 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state.