Won’t contest if not given enough seats: Manjhi

Patna, March 12 (IANS) A day before the Grand Alliance meets in Delhi to finalize the seat sharing for the Lok Sabha elections, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) warned on Tuesday that it will not contest if it was not given a respectable number of seats.

HAM chief and former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that several rounds of talks on seat sharing had been held and the final talks will be conducted in Delhi on March 13 and 14. Thereafter, a final decision will be taken on March 15. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav left Patna for Delhi on Tuesday to attend the meeting. Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief Upendra Kushwaha will leave for Delhi on Wednesday.

Earlier, Manjhi had expressed his disappointment over reports that only one or two seats would be offered to HAM. Manjhi is adamant that HAM would not contest the election if it is given less seats than RLSP and the Vikasshil Insan Party (VIP).

His demands have led to problems for both the major players -- RJD and Congress.

Of the total 40 seats, the RLSP wants to contest at least from five while VIP has said it wants three seats.

The RJD wants a 'lion's share' of 20 seats and the Congress is eyeing on more than 10 seats.

Manjhi had also got offers from the Bharatiya Janata Party to rejoin the NDA.

In 2014, RJD won only four seats and the Congress two. The NCP won one seat. The JD-U, which contested separately, also won only two seats.

The BJP-led NDA won 31 seats, with the BJP's tally being 22.