We will form a front and contest Bihar elections: Om Prakash Rajbhar on NDA seat-sharing arrangements

New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) Expressing strong displeasure over NDA seat-sharing arrangements for Bihar Assembly elections, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Monday claimed that the state BJP leaders were misleading the central leadership. He accused the BJP state unit of 'conspiring' to sideline its allies ahead of the upcoming elections.

“Bihar BJP leaders have given wrong feedback to the central leadership. The people of Bihar will be punished for this,” Rajbhar claimed.

He recalled previous discussions during the by-elections, when the BJP had indicated a continuing alliance with his party but failed to follow through.

“When we filed nominations for two seats in the by-elections, senior BJP leaders said that they would contest the elections together in the future. Now they have forgotten that,” Rajbhar said, adding, “No problem, we are a party, we are independent, and we will form a front and contest the elections in Bihar.”

Declaring his electoral plan, Rajbhar said, “We will contest elections on 153 seats in Bihar. Nomination papers of 52 candidates will probably be filed today for the first phase.”

Rajbhar also took a jibe at Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha, who had earlier posted an emotional appeal on X after receiving just six seats in the NDA seat-sharing deal.

“Now, Upendra ji has got what he wanted. Whether he becomes an MLA or an MP, the rest of the world can go to hell — what does he care now?” Rajbhar said sarcastically, responding to Kushwaha’s message.

Kushwaha had written: “I seek your forgiveness… I understand this decision will hurt the hearts of thousands—millions—of people… There are constraints and limitations.”

The NDA seat-sharing formula announced recently allocated 101 seats each to the BJP and JD(U), 29 to LJP (Ram Vilas), and just 6 each to Kushwaha’s RLM and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM. The decision triggered disappointment among junior allies.

Despite his earlier association with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Rajbhar’s comments signal a clear shift . With plans to field candidates on more than half the state's 243 Assembly seats, the SBSP appears poised to emerge as a challenger in the upcoming elections.

--IANS

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