Bihar election: NDA finalises seat-sharing, announcement soon

After a series of discussions, the NDA on Saturday finalised seat sharing agreement with its allies for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls, sources said.

According to sources, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may contest 162 seats which is a major chunk in the 243-member house -- leaving 81 seats for its three allies -- LJP, HAM and RLSP.

A maximum of 41 seats was likely to go to Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), followed by 25 seats to Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), and 15 seats to former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), according to informed sources.

Final announcement is expected to be made by BJP president Amit Shah, in presence of all its ally partners on Saturday evening.

Sources also said that five candidates of Manjhi may fight on BJP ticket as a compromise formula.

Union Minister and party's election-in-charge in Bihar Anant Kumar said, "We will fight together. Everything has been finalised."

"In the evening," said Kumar when reporters asked when will be the announcement be made.

Polls to the 243-member Bihar assembly will be held in five phases starting on October 12 and ending on November 5. Counting of votes will take place on November 8.

Paswan on Saturday met Amit Shah with his son Chirag Paswan, while Manjhi met Ananth Kumar, who is election in-charge of Bihar.

The meetings were also attended by the BJP's general secretary in-charge of Bihar Bhupendra Yadav.