PTI
NEW DELHI: (Oct 12) The BJP and the JD(U) will each contest on 101 seats in the Bihar assembly elections, while Union minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party will field its candidates on 29 seats, Union minister and BJP’s Bihar polls in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Sunday.
In a post on X as the meeting of the BJP’s Central Election Committee, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders, started, Pradhan said Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha will field their candidates on six seats each.
This is the first assembly poll since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led the NDA to end the 15-year reign of the RJD-led government in 2005 that his Janata Dal (United) will not be contesting more seats than the BJP in alliance, a clear signal of the acknowledgement within the ruling bloc of the regional party’s decline and the BJP’s growing heft.
The BJP had contested one more seat in the state than the JD(U) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, also a first.
Pradhan said all National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners have completed the seat-distribution exercise in a cordial manner.
He said, “Leaders and workers of all NDA parties welcome this with happiness. Bihar is ready for another NDA government.”
