Chirag Paswan Praises BJP and JDU's Generosity in Bihar Election Seat-Sharing Deal

Union Minister Chirag Paswan expressed his gratitude on Saturday to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JDU and the BJP for their generosity in accommodating smaller NDA allies, including his LJP (Ram Vilas), in the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming assembly elections.

During his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been in Patna since Thursday, Paswan confidently predicted a "historic victory" for the NDA while criticizing the opposition INDIA bloc for apparent internal conflicts.

"We weren't demanding a specific number of seats. Our focus was on contesting from constituencies where we maintain a strong presence. I'm deeply appreciative of both the BJP and JD(U) for demonstrating such magnanimity in the NDA seat-sharing arrangement," stated the Hajipur MP, whose Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) secured 29 seats despite having no MLAs in the current assembly.

In the finalized arrangement, both the BJP and JD(U) have been allocated 101 seats each, while smaller allies including the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) led by Upendra Kushwaha and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) under Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi received six seats each.

Paswan didn't hesitate to mock the opposition alliance, known locally as 'Mahagathbandhan', claiming significant discord among its constituent parties.

"There's considerable uncertainty regarding Tejashwi Yadav's leadership position. We're witnessing candidates from RJD, Congress, and the Left preparing to compete against each other. In contrast, the NDA is fully prepared to secure a historic victory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership," he remarked.

The Bihar assembly elections for all 243 seats will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.