The BJP will contest 17 seats in Bihar, while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) will contest 16 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as per the seat-sharing pact announced on Monday.
The seat-sharing arrangement was announced by Vinod Tawde, BJP's General Secretary, at a joint press conference held by members of the Bihar NDA alliance.
According to the seat-sharing pact, Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Aara, Buxar and Sasaram are among the key seats where the BJP will field candidates.
Meanwhile, the JD(U) will contest on Valmikinagar, Sitamadhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nalanda, Jehanabad and Sheohar seats.
However, there was no mention of seat-sharing with the LJP faction led by Minister Pashupati Paras. When asked about it, Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary said, "Talks with him are ongoing."
The Lok Sabha elections will take place from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases, the Election Commission announced on Saturday. Bihar will go to polls in seven phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The election results will be out on June 4.
