After much deliberations, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday in Bihar officially announced seat-sharing among its three constituents BJP, JD(U) and Lok Janshakti party (LJP).
Earlier, NDA had declared out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, BJP and JD(U) would contest on 17 seats each while LJP would contest on remaining six seats. State party presidents of all three NDA alliance partners held a joint press meet to announce the names of the constituencies to be contested by each of them.
However, hectic parleys among the leaders of all three parties were held before announcement of the constituencies as BJP state President Nityanand Rai was seen rushing twice to the CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar’s official residence.
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JD(U) state president Basistha Narayan Singh declared that his party would contest on Balmikinagar, Sitamarhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Madhepura, Gopalgunj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nalanda, Karakat, Jehanabad and Gaya. BJP would contest on East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Ujjiyarpur, Begusarai, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Ara, Buxar, Sasaram and Aurangabad.
The six seats which have gone to the LJP are -- Hajipur, Vaishali, Khagaria, Jamui, Samastipur and Nawada. Among the six, three seats Hajipur, Jamui and Samastipur are reserved seats which LJP had won in last 2014 Lok Sabha poll. This time LJP has exchanged Munger seat with Nawada. In the last LS poll Union Minister and senior state BJP leader Giriraj Singh had won from Nawada while, LJP candidate Veena Devi had bagged the Munger seat.
Mr Singh is likely to be fielded from Begusarai seat while JD(U) candidate Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh is set to contest from Munger seat. Names of candidates were not announced. “It too will be announced in a day or two”, said state BJP president Nityanand Rai.
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JD (U) has put more focus on border and Kosi area constituencies of north-east Bihar like Kishanganj, Supaul, Katihar, Purnia and Madhepura while BJP has put focus on constituencies falling in Mithilanchal areas like Madhubani, Darbhanga and Jhanjharpur.
It is the border constituencies where Muslim voters are in sizeable number and BJP has traditionally been contesting elections with a bid to polarise votes. However, in last General Election BJP had not been able to win even a single seat from this area while, JD(U) had won just seat of Purnia.