Deal Done for BJP and Allies for Bihar; Jitan Ram Manjhi Won With a Few More Seats

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 14, 2015:  Jitan Ram Manjhi has persuaded the BJP to part with a few more seats than the senior partner had brought to the negotiation table, but it still does not match Ram Vilas Paswan’s 40.

After multiple meetings in the last few days, the BJP and its four regional allies arrived at a consensus on seat-sharing for the Bihar election this morning, and BJP chief Amit Shah announced the division: The BJP will contest 160 of the 243 seats in Bihar, Mr Paswan’s Lok Jan Shakti Party will contest 40, Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party will contest 23 seats and Jitan Ram Manhji’s newly minted Hindustani Awaam Morcha (Secular) party also called HAM will contest 20.

Seven from Mr Manjhi’s party will also contest as BJP candidates, Mr Shah announced, confirming that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will fight the crucial assembly elections - to be held in five phases beginning next month - on the development agenda.    

"After winning more than two-thirds of the popular vote in 2014, we are ready for elections," said Mr Shah.

Jitan Ram Manjhi, who briefly served as Bihar chief minister a few months ago, had been adamant over the weekend that his newly minted Hindustani Awaam Morcha (Secular) party must be given as many seats to contest as the BJP’s other ally Ram Vilas Paswan.

Talks till late on Sunday were deadlocked and the negotiators from both sides had reconvened this morning.

The BJP’s final offer yesterday to Mr Manjhi was reportedly about 15 seats. Mr Manjhi wanted 40. A middle path was found this morning. Mr Shah was flanked at his press conference today by a smiling Mr Manjhi and Mr Paswan.

The BJP wanted to contest about 165 seats to give it a fair chance at winning at least 122, the majority mark, to reduce its dependence on allies. It has now scaled that down to 160 - giving an extra few to Mr Manjhi.

All three regional allies of the BJP have key pockets of influence in a state where caste and community play a major role in deciding elections. Mr Manjhi had claimed that his influence over the deprived Dalit and Mahadalits in the state, a sizeable chunk of voters, is greater than that of Mr Paswan and so he must get more seats to contest.

 

Courtesy: NDTV