Bihar polls: BJP allocates 11 seats to Vikassheel Insaan Party; saffron party to now contest in 110 seats

Patna: The BJP on Wednesday allocated 11 seats to associate partner Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) from its quota of 121 seats in Bihar assembly polls. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced at a joint press conference Tuesday that while JD(U) will spare some seats to Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) of former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi from its share of 122 seats and the BJP will accommodate VIP from its quota of 121 seats in the 243-member assembly. JD(U) has provided seven seats to HAM. The seat distribution to VIP was announced at a press conference addressed by Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar unit president Sanjay Jaiswal and VIP chief Mukesh Sahni. Jaiswal told reporters that VIP will also be provided one seat in Bihar legislative council in the future. VIP floated a couple of years ago by former Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahni, was with the opposition Grand Alliance till last week. Sahni had on Friday last announced an abrupt exit from the opposition coalition in protest against “back-stabbing” by RJD, which helms the anti-NDA grouping, and its de facto leader Tejashwi Yadav. Sahni expressed happiness over a return to the BJP-led NDA with which he had started his political innings in the 2014 general election with an aim to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister of the country.