Modi Dials Nitish Amid Bihar Seat Sharing Row

New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have talked to JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar amidst reports that he was miffed over seat distribution amongst the NDA partners for the upcoming Assembly polls. Neither the JD(U) nor the BJP confirmed the call officially, but Patna's political circle was abuzz with reports of the telephonic conversation.

Kumar, it is learnt, expressed serious displeasure with some of his own party's senior leaders for failing to negotiate properly with the BJP leadership. Sources disclosed some senior JD(U) leaders even complained to Kumar that he was "betrayed" by his own leaders. The main contention is said to be at least six seats that have been allotted to the LJP(RV), and most of which were with the JD(U) during the last polls.

According to sources, Modi's call was made after the saffron party's strategists sent a message to the central leadership about the situation at Patna's 1 Anney Marg, the official residence of the CM. There were talks in Patna of a joint press conference by the JD(U) and the BJP leaders to announce their candidates, which did not take place.

After reports of Mr Kumar being miffed over seat allocation, his one-time close associate and HAM supremo Jitan Ram Manjhi came out in his support.

"His anger is justified... I agree with his anger. When the decision has been made, why is someone else fielding their candidate in seats allocated to JD(U)? Agreeing with them, I too will field my candidates in Bodhgaya and Makhdumpur... Agreeing with the step taken by Kumar, I am fielding my candidates in two seats. The list is ready... the NDA will win with a majority," the Union minister told reporters in Patna.

The two seats he mentioned for "friendly fight" have been allotted to the LJP(RV), which is yet to declare its candidates. The HAM later released its list of six candidates and the two seats did not figure in the official list.

Meanwhile, the BJP released its first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar polls. Among the prominent names, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary has been fielded from Tarapur and Vijay Kumar Sinha from Lakhisarai. State minister Nitin Nabin has been fielded from Bankipur and senior leader Renu Devi from the Bettiah seat.

Senior leader and seven-time MLA Nand Kishor Yadav, Speaker in the Assembly, has not been fielded by the party from Patna Sahib. Instead the party has fielded Ramesh Kushwaha from this seat.

Turncoats and new entrants have also been rewarded. Siddharth Saurav, who had won the Bikram seat on a Congress ticket in 2020, has been named the BJP candidate from there, a day after his formal induction into the party. Former JD(U) MP Sunil Kumar Pintu and retired civil servant Sujit Kumar Singh, who had also joined the BJP on Monday, have been given tickets from Sitamarhi and Gaura Bauram, respectively.

Prominent folk and devotional singer Maithili Thakur joined the BJP. Speculation is rife that she could be fielded from the Alinagar seat.

As per the NDA seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD(U) will contest 101 seats each. The LJP(RV) on 29 seats and Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM and Upendra Kushwaha's RLM on six seats each.

During the last Assembly polls in 2020, the undivided LJP had contested alone on 137 seats and had won just one seat. The party was blamed for denting the JD(U)'s prospects. As friction within the NDA could cause problems, the BJP claimed that the seat allocation among the NDA has been resolved through "amicable discussions" and discussion on which party will get which seat is in final stages with "positive talks."