BJP offers 5 seats to Chirag Paswan's LJP, Governor's post to uncle Pashupati Paras: Sources

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has offered five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), sources told India Today on Wednesday. Chirag Paswan was in a tussle with uncle Pashupati Paras, who split LJP and took away most of its MPs in October 2021. The LJP had won 6 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections. 

Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Paras demanded six seats for the Lok Sabha elections. Sources said the BJP has promised a Governor's post to Pashupati Paras. 

Today, Chirag Paswan held a meeting with BJP's National President JP Nadda to finalise the seat-sharing. After the meeting, Chirag said the seat agreement had been completed and the announcement would be made soon.  

As per the deal, Paras's party will not be contesting any Lok Sabha seats, but the party's Samastipur MP, Prince Raj, will be appointed as a Minister in Bihar, sources said.

The NDA is yet to make a formal seat-sharing announcement for the upcoming elections. The BJP may allot one seat each to Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party. However, Kushwaha has demanded for two seats.

Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats.