Patna: There is growing unease among JDU leaders after the deadline for ironing out seat-sharing issues was extended by a month.

JDU president and chief minister Nitish Kumar had announced on July 16, 2018, that seat-sharing would be finalised in a month. But nothing concrete has come up so far. "Nitish ji himself announced that seat-sharing would be finalised within a month. But a month is over and it has been extended by another month," a senior JDU leader and MLC told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity. "Nitishji declared it in public after meeting BJP president Amit Shah, but so far we have not got any news on seat-sharing talks."

Rumours emanated from New Delhi last month, that the BJP would contest 20 seats, the JDU 12, LJP five and RLSP two, and one seat would go to dissident Jehanabad RLSP MP Arun Kumar. However, no NDA leader in Patna or Delhi would confirm the same and JDU national spokesperson and party secretary general K.C. Tyagi even rubbished it.

"Time and again senior JDU leaders like Bijendra Prasad Yadav and JDU state unit president Bashishtha Narayan Singh issue statements that seat-sharing talks would be completed soon," said another JDU MLA, who is also a minister in Nitish's cabinet. "I am wondering why BJP leaders in Bihar are not saying anything on the issue? It means something is cooking in the BJP, because even Nitish ji is silent for past two months. I think the BJP is trying to corner us or not willing to give us respectable seats."

Few BJP leaders like Nand Kishore Yadav and Sushil Kumar Modi even issued statements saying seat-sharing was hardly an issue and would be resolved amicably. But JDU leaders said greater the delay, the more unease for them.

Bashishtha called a meeting of state functionaries at his 36 Hardinge Road residence on the eve of state executive committee meet at 1 Aney Marg. Rajya Sabha MP RCP Singh and former MLA Manjit Kumar Singh attended. Manjit said all issues will be discussed on Sunday but refused to say anything on seat-sharing.

Spokesperson Tyagi arrived in Patna on Saturday for the JDU state executive committee. With him was poll strategist Prashant Kishor. "Prashant may or may not take part in Sunday's meeting. A decision will be taken tonight." Asked about Prashant's decision not to take part in the party's campaign for the 2019 election, Tyagi said: "He has come to do some grassroot-level work in Bihar."