Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Meets BJP Chief Nadda For Seat-Sharing Talks

BJP leaders, including president JP Nadda, met with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to hold informal seat-sharing talks.

BJP leaders, including president JP Nadda, met with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Aditya Trivedi)

BJP leaders, including president JP Nadda, met with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence on Saturday, to hold informal seat-sharing talks before the Assembly elections later this year.

Ahead of the polls, BJP leaders were on a two-day tour of Bihar, to launch the 'Atmanirbhar Bihar Abhiyan' at the party’s state headquarters, amongst other items on the agenda.

Nadda was accompanied in the meeting by party colleagues like Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, national general secretary and state in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and state president Sanjay Jaiswal.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in-charge of the BJP's campaign for the Bihar election, was also present at the meeting.

On the other side, the Janata Dal (United) national president was accompanied by key party aide, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan.

Skirmishes Between LJP and JD(U)

The meeting comes at a crucial time when there’s uncertainty over the fate of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP)‘s alliance with JD(U).

On Monday, 7 September, LJP had passed a resolution that all decisions regarding the alliance for Bihar elections have to be taken by the national president Chirag Paswan.

While at the Centre, the LJP has had no issues with its alliance with JD(U), on a state level, Paswan has been critical of Kumar’s government.

Another factor for the fissures has been the entry of former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM-S) joining the National Democratic Alliance after leaving the mahagathbandhan.

According to Economic Times, Fadnavis had earlier remarked “nobody is going to leave the NDA, though many may join us.”

“Diverse ideologies (is) a reason why we all are separate political parties, though united in purpose,” he had added, on the differences between JD(U) and LJP.

Bihar elections are set to be held in October-November, as the tenure of the current Assembly will end on 29 November.

(With inputs from The Economic Times)