Bihar Mahagathbandhan Lok Sabha election seat sharing: RJD 20, Congress 9, others 11

PATNA: After days of hectic parleys, Bihar's mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) announced its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2019.

The Rashtriya Janta Dal will contest on 20 seats, Congress on nine seats, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) on five seats, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) on three seats each and Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation on one seat (from RJD quota).

“Sharad Yadav will contest on RJD symbol and merge his political outfit Loktantrik Janata Dal with the party after the Lok Sabha polls,” RJD national spokesman Manoj Jha said at a press conference on Friday.

HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi will contest from Gaya constituency, while his party colleague  Upendra Prasad will fight from Aurangabad constituency.

RJD's Vibha Devi has been fielded from Nawada seat while RLSP's  Bhudev Chaudhary from Jamui constituency.

RJD also announced the names of two candidates for Assembly by-election: Direndra Kumar Singh alias Munna will contest from Nawada while Mohammad Firoz Hussain from Dehri.

Denying any rift in the Grand Alliance, Jha said, "How can you say 'all is well' when your leader (Tejashwi Yadav) doesn't come. Am I nothing in my party? You are making me insignificant? If format changes at the last moment, it's a party's decision, do not question that."

Zee News had earlier reported that the deadlock over seat sharing in Bihar's Grand Alliance has been solved, with RJD contesting on 20 seats and Congress on nine seats.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has already announced its seat-sharing pact -- the BJP and the JD(U) will contest on 17 seats each and six seats were allotted to the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).