RJD, JD(U) likely to contest 16 seats each in LS polls

Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) Two major alliance partners of the Mahagathbandhan -- RJD and JD(U) -- have almost reached a final formula on seat sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar has 40 seats and these two parties are likely to contest 16 each, while six are left for Congress and two for the Left parties.

For RJD and JD(U), one seat plus or minus can be possible.

Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday evening in Patna.

Although there is no information about what the two discussed, sources said that Tejashwi conveyed his father Lalu Prasad Yadav's message on seat sharing formula to contest equal number of seats.

The sources added that Lalu Prasad Yadav brought the formula of 2015 Assembly election where the RJD and JD(U) contested on 100 seats each in 243 seats of Vidhan Sabha and remaining 43 seats were given to Congress.

The sources further said that another point was also discussed about the JD(U) contesting on 17 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

At that time, the party was part of the NDA. Hence, JD-U may not lose one seat and go for 17 seats in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar is said to be a hard bargainer on seat sharing and he did that in 2015 Assembly election, 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2020 Assembly election.

Keeping in view of his track record, he may be asked to contest on 17 seats.

In that case, the sources said that one seat of Left parties may be given to JD(U) as Congress does not want to contest less in than six seats.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, JD(U) was part of NDA and contested on 17 seats and won 16 of them, while BJP contested on 17 and won 17 while LJP contested on 6 seats and won all six.

One seat of KIshanganj was won by the Congress which was in Mahagathbandhan at that time.

After the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc, the leaders have decided to finalize the seat sharing formula within three weeks and they are looking to be on schedule now.