17-17-6: Amit Shah Announces Bihar Seat-Sharing Deal
Apart from the six Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, the LJP is also likely to get one seat in either Uttar Pradesh or Jharkhand and a Rajya Sabha berth, which is likely to be taken by Paswan, who is currently a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet.
The deal was clinched after Paswan and his son Chirag met BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday. Chirag, who has been vocal in airing his party's differences with the BJP, told reporters that talks were on and claimed there were other issues besides sharing of seats.
Sources later said differences between the two
parties have been resolved.
BJP
president Amit Shah had earlier announced that his party and its key ally JD(U)
will be contesting equal number of seats in the politically crucial state where
the BJP-led NDA had won 31 seats in 2014.
The
deployment of Jaitley, an old Bihar hand in the party with friendly relations
with leaders of different parties, by the BJP to buy truce with the LJP
underscores the importance the saffron party has attached to continuing its
alliance with Paswan's party, which enjoys strong influence among Dalits.
Top BJP leaders, including its president Shah and Jaitley, had held an hour-long meeting with LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and his son Thursday to resolve their differences.
Chirag Paswan had earlier written a letter to Jaitley asking him to explain what benefits demonetisation brought to the country.
He had also tweeted that a delay in seat-sharing announcement may harm the ruling alliance.
Top BJP leaders, including its president Shah and Jaitley, had held an hour-long meeting with LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and his son Thursday to resolve their differences.
Chirag Paswan had earlier written a letter to Jaitley asking him to explain what benefits demonetisation brought to the country.
He had also tweeted that a delay in seat-sharing announcement may harm the ruling alliance.
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