Bihar elections: Did Chirag Paswan yield to BJP? LJP nears seat-sharing deal

Amid seat-sharing disputes between Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan and NDA allies, reports emerge that the young leader may have finally yielded to the BJP’s pressure with regard to his demand for 40 seats. Paswan has reportedly agreed to let go of five seats, but is still insisting on 35. 

ALSO READ | Bihar assembly polls: Seat-sharing tensions mount in NDA and Mahagathbandhan, small parties rattle grand alliances

He has also submitted a list of 35 candidates to the BJP, according to local media reports, which state that the BJP has agreed to set aside 25 seats for LJP. It has also offered one MLC and one Rajya Sabha seat for the party in the future. 

Paswan is insisting on at least two seats from the five Lok Sabha constituencies his party won in the last Parliament elections, according to local media reports. In the last Lok Sabha elections, the LJP had won Hajipur, Jamui, Vaishali, Khagaria, and Samastipur. 

ALSO READ | Bihar SIR: SC steps in, directs Legal Services Authority to help deleted voters

However, the impasse is mainly over LJP’s demand that it contest from some seats currently contested by allies. This includes Govindganj, Matihani and Sikandra, which are currently held by the Hindustani Awami Morcha, JD(U), and BJP, respectively.

However, Paswan wants LJP state president Raju Tiwari for Govindganj, and Hulas Pandey for Brahmapur. The party has also set its sights on Mahnar and Mahua in Hajipur, Morwa in Samastipur, Alauli in Khagaria, Bhagalpur Sadar, Bakhtiyarpur, Fatuha (Patna), Atri (Gaya), Obra (Aurangabad), and seats like Sheikhpura, Arwal, and Jehanabad.

ALSO READ | 'Papa always used to say...': On Ram Vilas Paswan’s death anniversary, Chirag’s subtle message to NDA allies

"We have lowered our demands, but we are only talking about seats where we have a strong hold and a high chance of winning. For example, we won the Matihani seat in the 2020 assembly elections, but our MLA, Rajkumar Singh, later joined the JD(U). That seat is ours, and we want it back," a senior leader told Jansatta. 

Unhappy with the seat-sharing talks, Paswan had summoned an emergency meeting of party leaders in Patna on Thursday morning. He was reportedly miffed with JD(U) for finalising its candidates’ nomination schedule even before a formal seat-sharing announcement. 

India