Amid NDA seat-sharing suspense, party says Chirag Paswan to take final call ahead of Bihar election

AMid on-going discussions o'er the seat-sharing chemical formula within the subject popular Alliance (NDA) ahead of the Bihar assembly election, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) state president Raju Tiwari on Thursday said the party has unanimously authorised its national president Chirag Paswan to take the final call.Chirag Paswan's party, which had earlier settled for around 20-22 seats, is now asking for at least 25 more. Senior party leaders think that the party should get at least 45 seats, a party leader told news agency PTI.“Look, today a meeting was convened under the chairmanship of our Bihar Election in-charge Arun Bharti ji. In this meeting, the presidents and vice-presidents of all the cells in Bihar, and all our national office bearers, along with many of our important colleagues, participated. And we have unanimously entrusted everything to the national president regarding the ongoing discussion on future seats,” Tiwari told reporters.“For whatever decision is necessary, we have handed everything over so that the final decision will be taken by the national president. That decision will be binding to every single worker of the party,” he added.Responding to speculation about a “compromise on respect", Tiwari said, “Now look, we have clearly stated that there was a discussion on very many points in this meeting. And after the discussion of all the points, this decision was taken: unanimously, everyone is of one opinion that the final verdict will be that of the national president. Whatever decision he takes, every single worker of the party will strive to work according to his instructions. Now everything, the entire/total decision, is entrusted.”He further said, “All this (further speculation) holds no meaning. When we have authorised our leader, Chirag Paswan Ji, then these matters don't arise at all.”On the issue of ensuring respect within the alliance, Tiwari replied, “When an alliance (gathbandhan) is formed, certainly we are five brothers, so it is everyone's duty to ensure the respect of one another. And on that matter, it seems to me that now the decision on everything will be taken by our leader.”The Bihar assembly election 2025 will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, while the counting of votes will be conducted on November 14.Earlier on Thursday, Chirag Paswan had confirmed that discussions were ongoing regarding the seat-sharing formula within the NDA.