Grand alliance likely to announce rest of seats & nominees today

PATNA:: After several rounds of discussion from Patna to Delhi over the last couple of days, the RJD-led Grand alliance (GA) is likely to announce on Thursday the 31 seats and candidates for contesting the last five phases of Lok Sabha election. The GA partners have already announced their candidates for the first two phases of polls scheduled for April 11 and 18. RJD is contesting 20 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state.Among the other partners, Congress has been given 9 seats and RLSP 5 while HAM(S) and Vikashsheel Insaan Party (VIP) will contest from three seats each.
“It is obvious that there will be some minor differences among the partners, but we will declare our seats tomorrow,”RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha said on Wednesday.
Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha, who is in Delhi, also said the candidates’ would also be announced tomorrow. “Congress central election committee meeting is on Thursday. After getting its nod, we will announce the rest of the seats and candidates,” he told TOI over phone.
Sources said Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha HAM(S), which has already got Aurangabad and Gaya, is set to get Nalanda seat. Manjhi and Upendra Prasad of HAM(S) have filed their nomination papers from Gaya and Aurangabad, respectively.
The VIP, led by Mukesh Sahni, has been given Khagaria, Muzaffarpur and either Jhanjharpur or Madhubani. Sahni is himself to contest from Khagaria, while sources said former Rajya Sabha member Anil Sahni will be his party candidate from Muzaffarpur.
Out of its five seats, RLSP’s Bhudev Choudhary has already filed papers from Jamui. Other seats in RLSP’s kitty are likely to be Karakat, Ujiarpur, Purvi Champaran and Paschami Champaran. But sources said RLSP may exchange Paschami Champaran with Sitamarhi with RJD. “RLSP’s Ram Kumar Sharma is sitting MP from Sitamarhi. But RJD chief Lalu Prasad wants Arjun Rai, a close aide of Sharad Yadav, to contest from this constituency. However, because of Rai’s closeness to Sharad, many in RJD are upset, which may force the party leadership to exchange it with RLSP’s Paschami Champaran,” said a source.
Congress has already been given Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnia. Other probable seats in its kitty are Patna Sahib, Supaul, Samastipur, Sasaram, Munger and Valmikinagar, though it is still demanding Darbhanga.
RJD has already got Nawada, Bhagalpur and Banka. Other seats in its kitty are likely to be Gopalganj, Siwan, Araria, Begusarai, Jehanabad, Buxar, Sheohar, Saran, Hajipur, Vaishali, Maharajganj, Madhubani, Darbhanga and Patliputra. RJD has left Ara from its quota for CPI(ML).
Former JD (U) president Sharad Yadav will be contesting on RJD symbol from Madhepura.
Probable candidates:
Congress: Shatrughan Sinha (Patna Sahib), Ashok Kumar (Samastipur), Meira Kumar (Sasaram), Kirti Jha Azad (Valmikinagar), Neelam Devi (Munger)
RJD: Misa Bharti (Patliputra), Heena Shahab (Siwan), Sharad Yadav (Madhepura), Tanveer Hasan (Begusarai), Abdul Bari Siddiqui (Darbhanga), Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (Vaishali) and Sarfaraz Alam (Araria).