NDA seat-sharing formula in Bihar still unclear

Patna: Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Friday said that the BJP-led NDA has set a target of winning 220 out of 243 seats in the 2020 Bihar Assembly election.

The BJP leader was, however, unable to clarify the seat-sharing formula between the NDA constituents - chiefly the BJP, the Janata Dal-United and the Lok Janshakti Party - even after BJP President J.P. Nadda met Chief Minister and JD-U chief Nitish Kumar here.

“We have a vision to achieve 220 seats for the NDA in the upcoming Bihar election and form the government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar,” Rai said.

Citing achievements of the Narendra Modi-led Central government including abolishing Article 370, construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and many other policies, he said that the Centre has a similar progressive vision for Bihar.

Rai also said that Centre has arranged thousands of trains and brought back 25 lakh migrant labourers back to Bihar.

“The Centre has also given two COVID-19 hospitals, apart from the state’s own facilities. The recovery rate of corona patients in Bihar has reached up 88 per cent with over 1.5 lakh tests every day,” Rai said.

At the meeting with Nitish Kumar, Nadda was accompanied by BJP’s Bihar election in-charge and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state Health Minister Mangal Pandey and other leaders.

Reacting on the LJP’s tough stand, Fadnavis said that a dialogue with its chief is currently underway and expressed confidence that the party will fight the polls as part of the NDA.