Bihar NDA leaders (File photo)
PATNA: The ruling NDA on Sunday announced the seat-sharing formula for the Bihar assembly elections on Nov 6 and 11.BJP and JDU) will contest 101 seats each, leaving 29 for LJP(RV) of Chirag Paswan and six each to Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) of union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha. The Bihar legislative assembly has 243 seats.HAM(S) got its four sitting seats of Imamganj, Tekari, Sikandra and Barachatti besides Atri and Kutumba, highly placed sources said.Kushwaha will get six seats from Obra, Sasaram, Madhubani, Bajpatti, Narkatiya, Dumraon and Mahua, sources said. Kushawaha also wanted a few seats in Siwan and Saran besides Ujiayarpur and Goh. But BJP did not agree.JD(U) national executive president Sanjay Kumar Jha, BJP leader and deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, Kushwaha and LJP(RV) confirmed the formula on X. Interestingly, all the posts had a similar message to send a message of unity. “We, NDA allies, met together and completed the seat distribution in a cordial atmosphere. Workers and leaders of all NDA parties joyfully welcome this unanimous decision. Bihar is ready. #NDA government again,” the posts read.The decision was made after daylong hectic parleys of BJP leaders with Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) of union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and his son and party chief Santosh Suman. BJP Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde and other party leaders from Bihar also succeeded in striking the deal with Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha.Though Manjhi was not satisfied with the number as he wanted at least 15 seats, he reposed faith in PM Narendra Modi and said, “Bihar mein bahar hogi, Nitish sang Modi ki sarkar hogi”.In a post on X before leaving for Patna, Manjhi stated: “I have said this before and I am saying it again today. I, Jitan Ram Manjhi, will remain with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath. There will be spring in Bihar, there will be Modi’s government with Nitish.”