JD(U) goes for seat sharing with RJD in Assembly bypolls

PATNA: The JD(U) today decided to go for seat sharing with RJD in by-elections to 10 Assembly constituencies in Bihar next month.

The party said it had taken the decision to join hands with Lalu Prasad's party to check BJP but insisted that it was not an "alliance" as talks on a "full-fledged" tie-up will be held later. The decision was announced after a marathon four-hour meeting presided by former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at its state headquarters here. It was attended by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, state JD(U) president Vashistha Narayan Singh, several ministers and MLAs.

"We have decided to go with RJD in the Assembly by-polls on 10 seats on August 21. We will make all possible efforts to check and remove BJP. If needed we are ready to go with anybody for this," said Manjhi after emerging from the meeting.

The JD (U) state president clarified that it was not an "alliance" but just a 'seat-sharing' with RJD for the upcoming by-poll.

"Right now it is just seat-sharing for the by-polls. Both JD(U) and RJD will fight together during the elections on 10 seats. The talks on full-fledged alliance will happen later on at the right time," said Singh.

He said the finer details regarding seat-sharing in the by-poll will be discussed by leaders of both parties in the next few days.

Singh described the by-polls to 10 assembly seats as a litmus test and said that the outcome will expose BJP's tall claims about sweeping the state after the Parliamentary elections.

In Delhi, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said the two parties will join hands as they did in the recent Rajya Sabha elections.

"The two parties have come together and now we will unite the people in the state," he said.