The BJP also announced names of 15 candidates for the second phase of the elections, secluded to be held on October 16. The remaining 30 seats in the first phase and 17 seats in phase two has been distributed among alliance partners – Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP)and Hindustani <g data-gr-id="59">Awam</g> Morcha (HAM), for which the names would be decided soon.
The names were finalised after the approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was part of the crucial meeting of the BJP’s election committee late Tuesday evening.
The party has fielded almost all sitting <g data-gr-id="62">MLAs,</g> while some new faces have been given a chance to try their luck. BJP functionary Rajendra Singh, who has been given a ticket from Dinara seat, is the organisation secretary of state <g data-gr-id="61">BJP,</g> while some <g data-gr-id="57">zila</g> <g data-gr-id="58">parishads</g> have also managed to the final list.
Releasing the list after the meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee, Union minister and senior party leader JP Nadda said: “50 per cent preference has been given to youth and women, while drawing up the list. OBCs, SCs and STs have also been given preference.”
Five of them are Yadavs, the most numerous OBC group, which has traditionally backed Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Lalu Prasad, but is being vigorously wooed by the BJP.
“We have tried to give representation to all communities,” Nadda said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides all other CEC members attended the meeting chaired by party president Amit Shah. The party has also tried to keep its core support base of upper castes happy with several Brahmins, Bhumihars, Rajputs and Kayashthas given tickets.
BJP’s leader in the outgoing Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav is among those whose names were announced on Tuesday. He will contest from Patna Sahib.
On Monday, the BJP said it would contest 160 or about two-thirds of the state’s 243 seats. The rest will be divided among its three regional allies, in a formula that has left at least one of them – Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party – miffed.
Earlier on Tuesday, LJP came out in the open, expressing its “discontent” over the formula and what was promised to them earlier. “There is no smoke without fire,” Chirag Paswan, LJP Parliamentary Board chairman and son of party president Ram Vilas Paswan said, after a midnight meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah. Chirag, however, made it clear that the LJP would continue in the NDA, which will remain “intact”.
Shah had announced a seat-sharing formula for Bihar Assembly elections on Monday, under which the alliance spearhead will contest 160 of the state’s 243 seats, LJP 40, RLSP 23 and HAM 20.
“There was no anger, but discontent as there was a difference over the seat-sharing formula we were told earlier and what was announced yesterday. So we were taken aback. We were not angry, but definitely there were concerns in the party. We were shocked. There is no smoke without fire,” Chirag said.
He said: “We have apprised the BJP chief of our concerns. We are happy that our concerns have been honoured and we are moving towards a solution.”
Chirag said Shah reminded him about “compulsions in a coalition” and assured him he would try to “accommodate” the concerns voiced by the LJP “as much as possible”.
Chirag added: “We are happy with whatever seats he has got. Our concern was that the LJP should also have got seats on the basis of the formula under which RLSP got 23 seats.”
The allies, who have been given 25 of the 81-odd seats going to polls in the first phase, are expected to announce their candidates soon.