NDA allies reaffirm unity amid final phase of Bihar seat-sharing talks

Patna, Oct 8 (IANS) As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) finalises its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, alliance leaders have reiterated that all constituent parties remain united and will contest the polls with full strength.

This comes amid demands from key allies -- Union Ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi -- for a fair share of seats for their respective parties, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM).

Chirag Paswan is reportedly seeking around 40 seats, while Manjhi is pressing for at least 15.

The official seat-sharing formula has not yet been announced.

BJP MP and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, speaking to IANS, dismissed speculation of discord within the alliance, asserting, "NDA is united as a whole and will remain so."

JD(U) National Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said that there is "no confusion" among the NDA allies.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "In seat-sharing, parties have certain expectations, and the distribution is determined through logical discussions among all the parties' leadership. There is no confusion anywhere, and the official announcement will be made very soon."

Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai also rubbished talks of any rift, emphasising the alliance's shared commitment to Bihar's progress.

"In NDA, there are people who care about Bihar's development and the future of its children and citizens. To ensure their well-being and happiness, India has accelerated the pace of development in Bihar, bringing significant progress to various regions," he said.

BJP MP Satish Chandra Dubey, too, dismissed rumours of tension among the allies.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "It is not like that. In Bihar, the NDA is standing together with mutual understanding. The five allies will contest the elections together with commitment, and everyone certainly wants to remain united. Consensus is being built, and together we will definitely fight the elections with strength."

--IANS

sd/dpb