The BJP and Chirag Paswan have reached a seat-share deal for next month's Bihar election, sources told NDTV Friday afternoon. Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party will reportedly accept 25-26 seats - instead of the 40 it had demanded - and concessions on other issues, including executing the 'Bihar first, Bihari first' agenda and 'due respect' at all levels of the government.
No formal statement has been made by either side so far.
Both sides held meetings throughout the day yesterday to resolve the mismatch in the LJP's demand and BJP's offer. The discussion, with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and junior Home Minister Nityanand Rai, concluded 'positively' and are in the 'final stage', LJP chief Chirag Paswan had said.
Behind the smiles, however, NDTV understands there was tension building between the BJP, which wants to wrap up seat share talks and focus on campaigning for the election starting November 6, and the Paswan's unwillingness to budge from his seat-share demand.
Sources told NDTV Paswan, pushing to expand his footprint in the state ahead of a tilt, now or in five years' time, at the chief minister's post, remains unsatisfied with the BJP's offer.
The LJP boss believes his party should get seats based on the same formula the national party reportedly uses for other partners in this election, i.e., eight tickets for every Lok Sabha seat.
Chirag Paswan (left) has repeatedly spoken of his attachment to PM Modi (File).
The BJP and JDU have 12 MPs (from Bihar) each. That works out to 96 Assembly seats each, which will reportedly be rounded up to 100. Based on this calculation, the LJP should get 40.
Paswan has five Lok Sabha MPs in his camp and a 100 per cent strike rate.
The offer, 25 seats, works out to only five Assembly seats per MP.
There are whispers of a middle ground - around 30 seats.
Also, the seat-share issue is only half the issue. A senior LJP leader told NDTV the pace of negotiations has been slow, given nominations end in a week's time, i.e., October 17.
As talks rumble on, it also appears Paswan, who is also the Union Food Processing Minister, is becoming unsettled. On Thursday morning, in response to a question on seat-sharing, he said he would not fail to discharge his ministerial responsibilities so long as he holds that post.
That sparked speculation over Paswan resigning to put more pressure on the BJP.
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If that was the case, it seemed to work. The BJP responded by dispatching Nityanand Rai to Patna; Rai first met Paswan's mother, at the family home, and then met the LJP leader.
Sources said Paswan appeared mollified by the meeting, but the demand hasn't changed.
Paswan's 'pressure tactics' have also included flirting with poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his fledgling Jan Suraaj. That idea, however, was quickly shot down by Kishor himself.
BJP sources earlier expressed confidence in a deal being struck. Chirag Paswan is a strong supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NDTV was told, and will come around.
Meanwhile, the LJP's parliamentary board was to meet today. This, however, has been postponed and will likely take place Saturday, when a 'final' decision could be taken.
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