Unease in RLSP over seat sharing formula in Bihar

Patna: Seat sharing among NDA constituents is likely to be settled by the end of this week. As per the latest seat sharing formula, the BJP- JD (U) in Bihar is likely to contest on 17 seats each and the remaining six seats may go to Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP. Sources said that the BJP leadership decided to go with the fresh formula after RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha visited Sharad Yadav’s residence last week to discuss the political situation in Bihar.

Reports suggest that the latest seat-sharing formula is likely to change the political arithmetic of the state and Upendra Kushwaha, who has been demanding to contest on a larger number of seats in the 2019 general elections may walk out of the NDA.

“Our party feels that there are few leaders in JD (U) and BJP who are misleading BJP leadership in New Delhi. We will wait for BJP President Amit Shah to decide whether he wants us to remain in NDA or not”, RLSP leader Jitendra Nath told this newspaper.

Sources said that Upendra Kushwaha has been upset at the way BJP sidelined his party and gave more importance to chief minister Nitish Kumar on the issue of seat sharing. Before leaving for New Delhi last week, he had met LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan in Patna to discuss the issue. The latest political development has given rise to speculations about Upendra Kushwaha’s future course of action. The Congress party on Thursday said that after series of setbacks by his alliance partners, Upendra Kushwaha should join Mahagathbandhan.

“There is nothing left for him in NDA anymore. He should decide fast and join Mahagathbandhan”, Congress Party spokesperson Prem Chand Mishra said.

Upendra Kushwaha is a strong Koeri leader, the largest OBC group after the Yadavs in Bihar. Both RJD and Congress party feel that his entry into Mahagathbandhan may cause a dent to JD (U)’s vote bank in the state. Last week, after his meeting with Sharad Yadav, he had blamed CM Nitish Kumar for trying to break his party.