According to sources, Mr Yadav, currently MLA from the Raghopur seat, is expected to contest again from the same seat.
New Delhi:Amid reports that Mahagathbandhan’s “yet to be declared” chief ministerial candidate and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will likely contest from the two Assembly seats in the impending Bihar polls, BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said that Nitish Kumar is the NDA's CM face and the alliance's seat-sharing pact will be out soon. Meanwhile, Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi indicated that he is willing to "settle for 15" seats to keep the ruling alliance intact.
According to sources, Mr Yadav, currently MLA from the Raghopur seat, is expected to contest again from the same seat. He may also contest from Phulparas in the Madhubani district.
The RJD insiders claim that this move could have significant political impact across the Mithilanchal region for the party, which is considered a JD(U) bastion. Sheetal Kumari of the ruling JD(U) won this seat by defeating nearest Congress rival Kripanath Pathak by around 11,000 votes in the last Assembly polls.
The RJD’s move can also upset the Congress, as this seat has already been claimed by the party. However, the insiders in Mr Yadav's camp hinted that the issue will be settled in the final round of the seat-sharing meeting in a day or two.
The political analysts, however, feel that Mr Yadav’s move to enter the poll fray from Phulparas is due to the fact that he might face a challenge from the Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor, who has indicated that he may contest from the Raghopur seat.
Meanwhile in Delhi, Mr Singh reiterated that Mr Kumar is the NDA's CM face in the Bihar Assembly elections. The senior BJP leader and Union minister ruled out any differences among the NDA partners over seat-sharing arrangements for Bihar Assembly polls. He said talks are underway and the final formula would be finalised soon.
"Mr Kumar is the NDA's face for the chief ministerial post in the coming Assembly polls. Everything is fine within the NDA… Seat-sharing arrangements for Assembly polls are underway and the final formula will be announced soon," Mr Singh told the media in the national capital.
Mr Singh also took a dig at the INDIA bloc and claimed the Mahagathbandhan is a "divided" house. "The Congress party has already made it clear that Mr Yadav will be the chief ministerial face of the RJD, not of the Mahagathbandhan. Now, RJD supremo Lalu Yadav is worried and frightened after the statement of the Congress leadership… The leadership of Mahagathbandhan has not yet been decided. I must say that NDA's policy, leadership and intent are all set and there is no resentment at all," he said.
In another development, Mr Manjhi said he would have liked his four-MLA-strong Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) to contest "half" of Bihar's 243 Assembly constituencies but is willing to "settle for 15" seats to avoid fighting against NDA partners.
"Ho nyay aagar to aadha do (give us half of the pie if you wish to do justice)," posted the former Bihar chief minister on X, apparently addressing the BJP, three days after senior leaders Dharmendra Pradhan and Vinod Tawde had visited his house in Patna, understandably, to discuss seat sharing.
Mr Manjhi added, "Par usme bhi yadi badha ho, to de do keval 15 gram, rakho apni dharti tamam (if you cannot dispense with a fair share, give us 15 villages, a metaphor for seat and keep the rest for yourself)."
Notably, Mr Manjhi has been demanding at least 15 seats for HAM with the plea that his party must win at least eight to get the "recognised" status from the Election Commission, which has eluded the outfit even after 10 years of inception. The BJP is willing to oblige HAM with six to seven seats, the sources in the NDA camp said.
Assembly elections in Bihar will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 14.
