New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) have come to an an understanding with each other on the sharing of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar at 25:15 basis, informed party sources said.
Both parties are still tight-lipped on the issue but the sources say that an understanding has been struck. If this assertion is correct, the BJP has made a minor concession to the JD (U), the major partner in Bihar by agreeing to take one seat less than it had contested in 2004 Lok Sabha polls.
There has been several rounds of discussions by the BJP and JD (U) leaders involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, JD (U) President Sharad Yadav and BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi.
The understanding is crucial for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) because of the walking out of Biju Janata Dal, one of the trusted allies of BJP in Orissa out of the NDA.
Party managers are understood to have made a headway in their talks with Shiv Sena, the BJP's long-standing ally in Maharashtra and formal announcements are expected on Friday and day after when the Central Election Committee of the BJP is expected to meet to finalise their choices for the Lok Sabha election.
It was not immediately known which of two contentious seats - Kishanganj and Madhubani Lok Sabha seats has been conceded by the BJP to the JD (U).
The JD (U) was seeking these constituencies from its NDA partner for fielding Muslim candidates.
Lone Muslim MP from Bihar Shahnawaz Hussain unsuccessfully contested from Kishanganj seat as BJP candidate in 2004.
However, Bhagalpur seat fell vacant after Sushil Modi vacated the seat to take over as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister. Now the JD (U) wanted Muslim majority Kishanganj seat for itself to field a Muslim candidate.
In Andhra Pradesh, the BJP is likely go it alone and contest nine Lok Sabha and 46 assembly seats, sources said.
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