Seat sharing talks with the Janata Dal (U) will figure high on the agenda during BJP chief Amit Shah’s visit to Patna on Thursday. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is scheduled to join Mr Shah for both breakfast and dinner during the visit.
Top sources in the BJP have confirmed that while Mr Shah will be largely busy with organisational meetings, two one-on-one meetings have been scheduled with Mr. Kumar.
“ Adhyakshaji (BJP president Amit Shah) will be having breakfast with the Chief Minister (Nitish Kumar) at the State guest house where he will be staying. After addressing organisational meetings like the social media volunteers meet, a meeting of vistaraks , core committee and Shakti Kendra meetings, he will have dinner with Nitish Kumar at the latter’s residence,” said a source.
State BJP president Nityanand Rai confirmed the two meetings.
“Seat sharing talks are on the anvil, and a formula that will be good for all stakeholders will be formulated,” added the source. No other details were shared as party men and allies like the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) are holding their peace.
Electoral equation
“We won 22 seats in 2014 on our own; some of them were seats where JD(U) used to win as part of the NDA. Therefore, the seat adjustment is not just about absolute numbers but particular seats and this will have implications for some sitting BJP MPs too,” added the source.
Meanwhile, a political observer in Bihar told The Hindu , “I don’t see any electoral dividend for the BJP to take JD(U) along with it in Lok Sabha poll…for the BJP, a triangular contest will always benefit as both RJD and JD(U) would cut each other’s backward caste vote while the BJP’s vote bank will be intact in the name of PM Narendra Modi”.
“Though, it will be a different ball game if JD(U) compromises with 9-10 seats with the BJP promising it a lion share in the State Assembly poll in 2020,” said political analyst Ajay Kumar.
