Bihar Assembly election 2020: With NDA or solo, LJP to decide today

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New Delhi: Bihar's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan will address a meeting of the party`s parliamentary board on Saturday (October 3, 2020) to decide whether the party goes solo or remains with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The LJP is reportedly unhappy with the number of seats offered to it by the alliance. The LJP has sought 36 Assembly and two MLC seats, however, the Janata Dal-United is not keen to give more than 20 seats.

The development comes a day after Paswan met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda in New Delhi to discuss the seat-sharing formula. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had commented that the NDA is united and that it will fight the elections in Bihar together with the Lok Janashakti Party.

According to party sources, the meeting will begin at 5 pm and the seat-sharing formula will be discussed. Also, whether the party should fight the elections on its own or in alliance will be decided.

The LJP has been critical of the Nitish Kumar-led government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, migrant worker situation and issues related to the recent floods.

Meanwhile, "Mahagathbandhan" alliance has finalised its seat-sharing ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, sources said on Friday adding that Congress will be contesting nearly 70 seats whereas the Left parties will field candidates on around 30 seats. 

According to news agency ANI, Lalu Yadav’s RJD will give 70 seats to Congress but will not let them have a seat of their choice. Senior NDA leaders also held a meeting in Patna on Thursday regarding the finalisation of seats for the Assembly polls and are likely to announce the seat-sharing formula before October 4 in Delhi.

The Bihar Assembly elections will take place in three phases on October 28, November 3, and November 7. The counting of votes will take place on November 10.

The LJP had won only 2 seats in the Assembly polls in 2015.