BJP to contest 160 seats in Bihar Assembly polls

In the battle for Bihar, the BJP is likely to contest 160 out of total 243 seats leaving the rest for alliance partners like Jitan Ram Manjhi, Ram Vilas Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha. The party might also give an edge to expelled RJD MP Pappu Yadav in Kosi and Seemanchal areas to take on the Lalu-Nitish combination.

“Earlier we’d planned to contest about 175 seats but with Jitan Ram Manjhi joining hands with us, we’ll settle with 160 seats,” Dr C. P. Thakur, senior BJP leader and member of the State election committee told The Hindu. Though a final decision has on this would be taken only after the consultation with alliance partners, “there will not be much difference in the given number and I think it will be acceptable to our allies,” he said.

To take on the Lalu-Nitish and Congress vote banks, the BJP has decided to take their allies not only as strategic partners but also provide them more electoral space for concentration of votes, party leaders said.

Courtesy: The Hindu