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‘JD(U) bigger than BJP in Bihar’: Prashant Kishor bats for larger seat share in Assembly elections

Prashant Kishor wants JD(U) to contest more seats than the BJP in Bihar Assembly polls.

Janata Dal (United) leader Prashant Kishor on Monday said his party is bigger than ally BJP in Bihar. Prashant, who has been vocal against the BJP over the last month over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens, asserted that his party should contest more seats than the BJP in the upcoming assembly election. Bihar will go to poll in October-November 2020.

Kishor was instrumental in the BJP’s mega win the 2014 general elections and had worked as an election strategist for Narendra Modi in 2011 as well when the latter was CM of Gujarat. He reportedly wanted a role in the BJP government after 2014 victory.

“Nitish Kumar is the face of Bihar. JD(U) has been the bigger party since 2004. In its coalition with BJP, JD(U) has also contested as the bigger party. In Vidhan Sabha elections, both in 2004 and 2009 JDU won more seats than BJP,” he said.

“If we look at the 2010 assembly polls, which the JD(U) and the BJP had last contested together, the ratio was 1:1.4. Even if there is a slight change this time, it cannot be that both parties fight an equal number of seats,” he said.

In the 2015 Assembly polls in Bihar, the BJP and JD(U) had contested against each other. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was a constituent of the grand alliance comprising Lalu’s RJD and Congress. But he returned to the BJP-led NDA after 18 months. In the general elections held in April-May this year, allies JD(U) and BJP had contested 17 seats each in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Six seats were allotted to LJP of Ramvilas Paswan. BJP and LJP won all seats they contested, while JD(U) emerged victorious on 16 of the 17 seats it contested.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Gopal Narayan Singh hit back at Kishor and said the old formula to share seats cannot be implemented in the next polls and that both the BJP and JD(U) should contest an equal number of seats in the 2020 Assembly polls.

“Every next step is decided as per the latest situation and rules,” he added.

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Source: Financial Express