New Delhi, Sept. 12: The NDA, expected to finalise and announce its seat-distribution formula for the Bihar elections this evening, is up against opposition from the newest constituent in the coalition - the party of Jitan Ram Manjhi.
The Hindustani Awam Morcha president and former chief minister was reportedly furious when TV channels claimed this morning that the BJP was "willing" to give Manjhi just 15 of the 243 seats and let five of his legislators who had joined the BJP contest on its lotus symbol.
"Forget 15," a Manjhi aide said. His leader, he added, had asked for 47 seats but the BJP had "grudgingly" conceded "only" 27, which too was "most unfair", keeping his leader's "popularity, caste base and stature in mind".
He said if there was no breakthrough by tonight, Manjhi, set to leave for Patna tomorrow, would "speak to his workers and then think of fighting solo". Manjhi, who is staying at Bihar Bhavan, refused to come on the line.
Bhupendra Yadav, the BJP general secretary in charge of Bihar, however, said: "Everything is fine. We are completing a round of confabulations with our Bihar leaders to tie up the loose ends before making an announcement."
Among the Bihar leaders who today called on BJP chief Amit Shah and general secretary (organisation) Ramlal were Sushil Modi, Ashwani Choubey, Giriraj Singh, C.P. Thakur and Nand Kumar Yadav. Shah and Ramlal, it is learnt, ran a check on the seats earmarked for the BJP's allies with the Bihar contingent.
"We are going about the exercise in a scientific way so that each NDA constituent gets a maximum of winnable ones," a state leader said.
The word from the BJP this afternoon was that Shah was set to make a declaration late in the evening in the company of his allies. "The talks were successful," central minister Ananth Kumar said. "In the presence of the BJP president, we will declare everything."
The claim came under stress shortly after Manjhi publicly ticked off TV reporters for putting out "false" figures. Bhupendra, accompanied by central minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also involved in the election preparations, <>rushed to pacify Manjhi, who was persuaded to meet Shah. After the meeting, Manjhi told reporters: "Wait for tomorrow to hear from me."
A source close to Upendra Kushwaha, who helms the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, another NDA partner, said: "Things have got stuck, thanks to the Manjhi-BJP face-off. But I don't think Manjhi will walk out of the alliance at this stage."
MIM to contest
The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen today said it would contest the elections from the Seemanchal region, which comprises mainly four districts - Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj and Katihar. "We are limited to the Seemanchal area.... We are realistic about our chances," MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said.
Sources said the MIM could contest a minimum of 10-12 seats.
Additional reporting by our special correspondent in Hyderabad
