JD(U) national executive meeting underway; Nitish Kumar likely to state party's position in 2019 Lok Sabha polls

The national executive meeting of the JD(U) has begun and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is expected to articulate his party’s position on a host of issues, including the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

Bihar Chief Minister and Janta Dal (United) President Nitish Kumar at party's national executive meet in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/rKa9S5yKoe

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2018

[caption id=“attachment_4690821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. News18[/caption] Nitish held deliberations with his party's office-bearers on Saturday, the eve of the national executive meeting. According to PTI, there has been speculation that the Kumar-led party may explore revival of its alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, a suggestion rejected by JD(U) leaders, but which has gained ground due to the latter’s public differences with the BJP. Several leaders of the Bihar-based party have demanded its preeminent position in the BJP-led NDA restored, a status it enjoyed in the alliance until 2013 when Kumar broke ties with the saffron party. JD(U) is also likely to pass a resolution demanding that Kumar be made the face of the BJP-led NDA in Bihar for next year’s General Elections, reported News18. The report stated that the contentious seat-sharing formula with the BJP will also resonate in the national executive meeting. A senior leader close to Kumar told News18 that JD(U) is likely to up the ante to get a larger share of seats. The BJP had won 22 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and its allies, Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP and Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP had six and three respectively. The JD(U) had won only two seats. JD(U) leaders have argued that their party had performed much better than the BJP in the 2015 Assembly polls and its results should be considered in the allotment of seats for the Lok Sabha election. With inputs from PTI