2019 Lok Sabha polls: NDA leaders of Bihar likely to announce seat-sharing

Patna: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders of Bihar are likely to announce the seat-sharing in Bihar for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.

The announcement will be made during a press conference at the Janata Dal (United) office in Patna later on Sunday.

Bihar JD(U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Pashupati Kumar Paras and Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai are expected to be present at the presser.

Rai told ANI, "All is well in NDA. We will win all 40 seats in Bihar. I do not want to comment on Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)."

According to sources, the BJP is likely to contest on Patliputra, Patna Sahib, Arrah, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Buxar, Sasaram, Begusarai, Araria, Aurangabad and Ujiyarpur parliamentary constituencies.

The JD(U), on the other hand, will test their fate while contesting from Purnia, Madhepura, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Siwan, Balmiki Nagar, Jhanjharpur, Sitamarhi, Gaya, Gopalganj, Munger, Banka, Bhagalpur, Nalanda, Karakat and Jahanabad Lok Sabha seats.

Sources added that the LJP will fight on six seats - Hajipur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Jamui, Nawada and Khagadia.

The formula of seat-sharing was announced a few months ago in Delhi by BJP president Amit Shah, JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar, and LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan.

According to the NDA seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD(U) will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six would be fought by the LJP.

Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The dates of polling in Bihar are April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won only four seats and the Congress won two. The JD(U), which contested separately, won two seats.

The BJP-led NDA won 31 seats, with the former's tally being 22.