Chirag Paswan thanks BJP, JD(U) for ‘showing a big heart’, takes swipe at opposition's seat-sharing woes
Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan during a meeting in Patna | PTI
Union minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday thanked both the BJP and the JD(U) for “showing a big heart” to his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in the seat-sharing arrangement of the National Democratic Alliance.
The LJP(RV) was given 29 seats in the upcoming elections, despite not having a single MLA in the outgoing assembly. The BJP and the JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, while the other two allies— Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) led by Upendra Kushwaha and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi—have been allocated six seats each.
"We were not fighting for a particular number of seats as such. We only wanted to contest from those places where we had a strong presence. I am thankful to the BJP and the JD(U). Both have shown a big heart in the NDA seat-sharing arrangement," said the Hajipur MP.
Chirag, who met Amit Shah in Patna, said the NDA would achieve "a historic victory" in the elections to build a Vikasit Bharat envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a visit to Bihar. It is the strength of our alliance that we are walking hand-in-hand towards a historical victory to build a Viksit Bharat envisioned by PM Modi. The PM has visited Bihar 11 times in the last year after forming the government, which shows his priority is towards Bihar. In the meeting with Amit Shah today, the strategy to win historic seats was discussed," said the LJP (RV) chief.
Chirag also took a swipe at the opposition bloc, saying that the parties in the Grand Alliance were fielding candidates against each other after failing to reach a consensu on seat-sharing.
"There is no clarity on whether Tejashwi Yadav is the face or not. Candidates of the RJD, Congress and the Left are going to fight against each other. The NDA, on the other hand, is all set for a historic victory under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
The Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes will take place on November 14.
India