JDU and BJP to contest 101 seats each: Chirag gains, Manjhi disappointed in NDA's seat-sharing talks for Bihar elections

NEW DELHI: The NDA's seat-sharing talks for the Bihar elections have been completed. JDU and BJP will contest 101 seats each in the 243-member assembly. Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti will be given 29 seats, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will be given six seats each. The BJP's central election committee met in Delhi to announce the first phase of candidates.

The decision was to give 25 to Paswan, who had demanded 40 seats. They intensified pressure on the JDU's three seats. Hindustan Awami Morcha leader and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had demanded 15 seats, returned from Delhi disappointed. Manjhi made it clear that he would continue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi until his last breath. Khushwaha, who got six seats, is also not satisfied.

Lalu in Delhi

RJD leaders have reached Delhi for seat-sharing talks amid the ongoing dispute in the INDIA bloc. RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav will hold talks with the Congress leadership tomorrow. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the seat talks are going on to include some new partners in the front. He added that Congress hopes to finalize the seat allocation in two-three days. Jairam Ramesh said that the Congress is trying for 50-100 seats. There was news that the Congress had asked for 70 seats and the RJD had promised 50.

Modi in Bihar on 15th

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on 15th, interact with booth-level workers and seek suggestions from them. Modi invited BJP workers to participate in the programme titled 'Mera booth-sabse majboot' (my booth is strongest) and give suggestions.