Patna, Jun 26: Differences within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar are out in the open once again amid persisting divergence between the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over seat sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

JD(U) general secretary Sanjay Singh on Monday declared that his party would contest the highest number of seats among the NDA allies in the state during the general elections. Singh added that the BJP was free to contest alone if it did not need an ally for Lok Sabha polls.

“BJP knows without Nitish ji, it will not be able to win in Bihar. If it does not want any ally, BJP can field its candidates on all 40 Lok Sabha seats," the JD(U) leader was quoted as saying. Singh is often seen as channeling JD(U) president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s views.

Interestingly, BJP general secretary Rajendra Singh, on last Monday, had claimed the party would contest all the 22 seats it had won in 2014 general elections. “The party will also protect the interests of its allies and arrive at a seat-sharing arrangement, which enables the NDA to win all the 40 seats in Bihar,” he had said.

JD(U) and BJP contested 2014 Lok Sabha elections separately. While the JD(U) could win only 2 seats, the BJP bagged 22. Difference emerged when the JD(U) insisted seat-sharing for 2019 should be on the performance in 2015 Bihar assembly elections. JD(U) won 71 seats, while BJP got 53 in 2015 Bihar Assembly elections.

After a setback in 2014 general elections, Nitish Kumar had joined Grand Alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress in 2015 assembly elections. He again quit the Grand Alliance in July 2017 and formed state government with the BJP.

(Edited by - Aadil Ikram)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 26, 2018 10:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).