The distribution of seats for the Lok Sabha elections between JDU, RJD and other parties included in the ruling grand alliance of Bihar is almost done.
Sources said that JDU and RJD can contest on 16 seats each in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, while its other allies Congress and Left parties can field candidates on eight seats.
According to sources, this consensus was reached in the conversation between RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s younger son and Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Tejashwi had reached the Chief Minister’s residence at 1, Anne Marg on Thursday afternoon and met CM Nitish Kumar and discussed the issue of seat-sharing on all 40 seats in the state.
It is understood that Tejashwi had come to Nitish with a message from his father Lalu Yadav, which was discussed by both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.
A senior RJD leader said that according to a rough formula, RJD and JDU will contest on 16 seats each, while Congress will be given five seats and Left parties will be given three seats. A compromise can be reached on some plus or minus, he said. There are 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.
“Though the seat-sharing has almost been finalized, there are still some issues on some seats where both RJD and JD(U) want to contest,” the RJD leader told TOI. He said that this issue will also be resolved soon.
There was talk that Nitish Kumar was adamant on 17 seats because his party JDU had contested the same number of seats in partnership with BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and won 16 of them. A leader of the Grand Alliance said that in such a situation, if both RJD and JDU fight on 17 seats each, then the Left parties might have to compromise on just one seat.
Sources said that there was a dispute between RJD and JDU on Jehanabad and Jhanjharpur seats. RJD is trying to field its candidates on both these seats, whereas at present both the seats are with JDU. Rampreet Mandal of JDU is the MP from Jhanjharpur, while Chandeshwar Prasad of JDU is the MP from Jehanabad.