Patna: Bihar`s Shahabad region where NDA faced a tough challenge from the grand alliance in the last assembly election, winning only two out of 19 seats, is leaving nothing to chance.
This time, NDA may look forward to a better performance with LJP (RV) chief and union minister Chirag Paswan, and RLM founder and MP Upenendra Kushaha on its side. With both leaders commanding good support among their caste members, NDA is hopeful of broadening its support base among Dalits and Kushwaha castes in Shahabad region.
The adjoining Magadh region also disappointed the NDA badly as it could win only 18 out of 49 seats in the region in the last election. While Shahabad region comprises Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas and Kaimur districts, Magadh region consists of Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad, Jehanabad and Arwal districts.
Besides Chirag, and Kushwaha, Hindustanti Awam Morcha (HAM) chief and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is also keeping his focus on these regions for improving his party as well as NDA`s performance.
Kushwaha told reporters on Monday that NDA could give a spectacular performance in Shahabad and Magadh regions if all allies of the NDA comprising BJP, JD (U), LJP (RV), HAM and RLM contested the election in complete coordination. “A message should go across all sections of the society that NDA is fully united and contesting elections without any misgiving to improve the alliance`s seat tally in both regions,” he remarked.
In the last Lok Sabha election, INDIA bloc won six seats out of total eight seats at stake in Shahabad and Magadh regions. Kushwaha was defeated from Karakat and was on the third position as CPI (ML) Raja Ram Singh won the seat while Independent candidate Pawan Singh was on the second position.
Meanwhile, Kushwaha also emphasised distribution of seats among NDA’s allies for Bihar assembly election on time, and a message should go out to the people that all constituents of the alliance and their leaders have been given respect.
On the other hand, JD (U) MLC Khalid Anwar said that the seat sharing formula would be based on the 2010 Bihar assembly election when RJD was reduced to 22 seats only. The undivided LJP which contested the election in alliance with RJD could win only three seats. NDA returned to power in Bihar by winning 206 seats, its best ever performance in the state polls.
