The JD(U) and BJP have begun separate review of each of the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar in a prelude to hard bargaining for swapping seats on the basis of delimitation exercise. The two parties have indicated that at least 10 per cent of the total seats, about 25, would be put on the negotiation table.
The swapping of seats between the two parties will be done on the basis of the findings of separate reviews by them on each of the constituencies. “Leaders of the two parties have agreed that 10 per cent of the total seats could be negotiated for swapping based on the changed demography. However, the negotiations on swapping of seats will be done on the basis of findings of separate reviews by the two parties, which has been commissioned,” stated a senior JD (U) functionary.
The two parties in their briefs for review of each of the constituency has stated that the changed caste equations and their impact on the prospects of the parties have to be objectively assessed. “Even those Assembly seats which were won by either the BJP or JD(U) could be considered for swapping if the findings of the reviews project picture in its favour. If some of the sitting seats of JD(U) become favourable for the BJP or the vice-versa, they would be put on the negotiation table. However, the number of such seats will not be much,” added the JD(U) functionary.
Sources revealed that the two parties have sounded each other to take into account their respective positioning on caste lines as well. The JD(U) is learnt to be keen to ask the BJP to take up Assembly seats, which have significant population of Bhumihars and Brahmins for the reason that these two castes are peeved due to steps taken by the state chief minister, Nitish Kumar, on land reforms. Likewise, the state BJP has indicated that it would be comfortably placed to hand over those seats to the JD(U) which have decisive vote base of the Muslims and Yadavs.
The efforts in the two parties, said a senior JD(U) leader, are to thwart the attempts of the RJD-LJP combine.
to make dent in the vote base of the two ruling parties.