The opposition INDIA bloc is said to have offered eight Lok Sabha seats to Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan in Bihar as the seat-sharing battle rages within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners ) continues in the state.
Chirag Paswan had formally returned to the NDA in July 2023.
Besides eight seats in Bihar, Chirag Paswan's party has also got two seats in Uttar Pradesh, one NDTV the report said, citing sources.
The proposal of 10 seats in two states is important as the NDA has reportedly offered only six seats to Chirag Paswan, with the caveat that two of those six seats have to be shared with his uncle and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party chief Pashupati Paras. Chirag is not on the best terms with his uncle Pashupati Paras, who has been the Food Processing Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet since 2021.
However, the INDIA block offering does not include Pashupati Paras. Chirag will be able to field candidates in six seats that the undivided Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) had contested in 2019, as well as two additional constituencies in Bihar and two in Uttar Pradesh, the NDTV report said.
Also read: Bihar politics: 'We may continue to disagree with Nitish Kumar…', says Chirag Paswan ahead of swearing-in
Founded by Chirag Paswan's late father Ram Vilas Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party split in 2021 following a coup by Pashupati Paras following the death of its founder.
The political developments in Bihar assume significance as the state is now under NDA rule, with Nitish Kumar as the chief minister. Chirag and Nitish have also not been on good terms. After Pashupati Paras got a cabinet berth in 2021, Chirag Paswan had attacked Nitish.
Chirag had quit the NDA in 2020 over differences with Nitish, but he rejoined the alliance last year when the Bihar chief minister was part of the Mahagathbandhan, which is now in the opposition.
In 2019, the BJP and Nitish Kumar's JDU fought the Lok Sabha elections together. The undivided LJP won all six contested seats.
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Published: Mar 7, 2024 11:11am IST