The BJP’s seat-sharing deal at polling stations in Jharkhand is in its final stages

New Delhi, September 29 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in the final stages of negotiating a seat-sharing agreement with its allies in Jharkhand ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the eastern state.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with All Jharkhand Students’ Union (AJSU) president Sudesh Mahto met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence on Saturday evening to discuss and finalize seat sharing. The meeting brought together senior leaders of both parties to address the key issue of seat sharing, which is crucial to the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) electoral strategy in Jharkhand.

Earlier on Saturday, Sarma, who is also the BJP’s Jharkhand election in-charge, announced that the party would fight in alliance with its partners NDA, AJSU and Janata Dal-United (JD-U).

According to sources privy to the discussions, AJSU demanded 16 seats out of 81 seats in the state. While much of the seat-sharing agreement is reported to have been settled, discussions on one or two additional seats are still ongoing.

The BJP and AJSU plan to hold another meeting in Delhi in the next few days to finalize the remaining details of the agreement.

Addressing the media, Sarma emphasized the partnership nature of the upcoming elections, saying, “The elections will see an alliance (BJP) with JD-U and AJSU. The division of seats is almost final, and discussions about one or two seats are ongoing. We will announce the alliance after the end of Pitru Paksha.”

The Assembly election dates in the state, where the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha coalition is in power, will be announced soon after October 8.