Are Seat-Sharing Talks Ongoing? Upendra Kushwaha Refutes 'Rumors' of Rift Within NDA

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ongoing discussions among NDA partners regarding seat sharing.
- Upendra Kushwaha denies any discord within the alliance.
- A formal announcement on seat distribution is expected soon.
- Negotiations suggest a significant number of seats for BJP and JD(U).
- Smaller allies like LJP and HAM are also set to receive a share of seats.
Patna, Oct 11 (NationPress) The chief of Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), Upendra Kushwaha, on Saturday refuted claims indicating discord among the partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) concerning seat-sharing negotiations ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. He emphasized that discussions are actively continuing.
Later on Saturday, the NDA is expected to formally announce its seat distribution. The Bihar alliance consists of five primary partners: the BJP, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas) led by Chirag Paswan, HAM(S) led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM led by Kushwaha.
When addressing the media, Kushwaha stated, "The media reports suggesting a consensus on seat sharing in the NDA, which indicate that my party is allocated certain seats, are misleading. Conversations are ongoing, and talks will continue in Delhi based on information from the Bharatiya Janata Party. The discussions have yet to be finalized, and the focus in Delhi will be on determining the required number of seats."
He added that his party would refrain from revealing the number of seats requested from the alliance and noted that the final decision would only be disclosed publicly.
Earlier that day, Kushwaha took to X to label the media reports as unfounded, calling them "rumors."
"Ignore the circulating rumors. The discussions are still in progress. Please wait…! I am unaware of how these reports are being disseminated. If someone is fabricating news, it’s deceitful and a betrayal. Stay alert," he wrote.
In the meantime, sources indicate that ongoing negotiations within the NDA have reached a preliminary understanding where the BJP and JD(U) are set to contest approximately 200 to 203 seats, with the remaining 40 to 42 seats allocated to the three smaller allies.
According to the tentative arrangement, Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) is anticipated to secure 26 seats, Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) eight seats, and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) six seats.