NEW DELHI: The opposition-led INDIA bloc has offered two key positions—Deputy Prime Minister for Nitish Kumar and special status for Andhra Pradesh—to entice two NDA partners, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United) (JDU), according to the sources.
Nitish Kumar’s JDU is currently leading in 12 seats, with the NDA also leading on 12 seats, while the INDIA bloc is ahead in 8. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) holds the highest vote share in the state with 22.5% of the total votes polled.
The political climate in Bihar is reaching a fever pitch. Counting is underway at over 36 centers across Bihar, following polling for Lok Sabha seats held in seven phases between April 19 and June 1.
FLASH: CPI candidate Abdhesh Kumar Roy is leading in Begusarai, with BJP’s Giriraj Singh trailing behind in the early trends of the Lok Sabha elections.#ElectionsResults #400Paar #electioninindia2024 pic.twitter.com/jAPnWnTK5N
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) June 4, 2024
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The Bihar Lok Sabha Election 2024 features key candidates from major political parties, all vying for victory in their respective constituencies. This high-stakes election includes notable figures such as Samrat Choudhary (BJP), Nitish Kumar (JDU), Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party), and Tejashwi Yadav (RJD).
Apart from Nitish Kumar’s JDU, Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP was expected to perform similarly. Together, the duo could hold around 28 Lok Sabha seats, making them potential kingmakers. Nitish Kumar has a history of switching loyalties; a few months ago, he moved from the INDIA bloc to the BJP-led NDA.
Ironically, Kumar played a crucial role in forming the INDIA alliance, despite its internal contradictions. However, JDU sources have indicated that the party is not planning to switch loyalties again.
FLASH: Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) is leading from the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat, while Anshul Avijit (INC) is trailing in the early trends of the Lok Sabha elections.
#ElectionsResults #400Paar #electioninindia2024 pic.twitter.com/b3fV1ZuCJe
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) June 4, 2024
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One Congress leader noted that Kumar did not meet BJP deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary, who visited him on Tuesday. Congress leaders are also trying to woo Eknath Shinde, whose party, Shiv Sena, is leading in 10 seats. Shinde, a former Congress ally in the undivided Shiv Sena, caused a significant split in the party founded by Bal Thackeray.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA swept Bihar, winning 39 out of the 40 seats. The BJP won 17 seats, JDU claimed 16, and LJP took home 6 seats. Congress managed to win just one seat, while the RJD, led by Tejashwi Yadav, failed to win any.
In contrast, the 2014 general elections saw the BJP, not allied with JDU at the time, emerge as the largest party in Bihar, winning 23 seats. Its ally, LJP, won 6 seats. JDU, which contested alone, managed only 2 seats. The Congress, part of the Mahagathbandhan, won 2 seats. This starkly contrasts with 2019, where the NDA’s united front resulted in a near-total sweep.