JD(U) president, Nitish Kumar confirms that his party will be finalising the terms of an alliance with BJP for the upcoming 2019 polls. BJP had earlier approached the party for an alliance in seat sharing and JD(U) has finally confirmed it after 3-4 weeks. Although nothing has been finalised the JD(U) is waiting for a session and an official proposal with BJP before finalising anything.
“…there will be one-to-one talk with the BJP on this issue…”, said Kumar after his Lok Samvaad programme in Patna.
Previously, there were speculations that the two parties might be at loggerheads. However, the air has been cleared as both of them have decided to form an alliance for the 2019 polls in Bihar. Amit Shah had visited Bihar earlier and had denied reports of differences between the two allies and expressed confidence that they will fight the elections together.
While this alliance is being formed the seat distribution for the constituencies are also being highly debated. In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, Kumar’s party had contested 25 seats and the BJP 15 when they were allies. While this may seem to give rise to a tussle both parties have assured that no such conflict would occur.
One of the BJP leaders claimed that the party did not see any ‘serious difference’ with the JD(U), and the ‘tricky issue of seat-sharing’ will be prevented usefully without trying to hamper the interests of either of the parties.
Nitish Kumar had also emphasized on giving Bihar the position and a ‘special status’ as it is a landlocked state.
“We will raise this demand again at the all-party meeting”, said Nitish Kumar. “Earlier too, we had sought time from former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for this but he had not given us time. We’ve come to know that all parties of Bihar have given their consent for the demand of special status grant to Bihar”, he added.
BJP is yet to comment on this demand posed by the JD(U).