Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi at Bihar Niwas in New Delhi on Sunday. (Press Trust of India photo)
Senior BJP leaders spent the better part of Sunday trying to placate Hindustani Awaam Morcha (Secular) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi and work out a formula for seat sharing that he may be ok with.
At a meeting with Mr Manjhi that lasted till late on Sunday evening, BJP interlocuters Ananth Kumar, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupendra Yadav offered to give his party 17 seats; 5 of his candidates will be allowed to contest under the BJP symbol, sources said.
While a few of his loyalists appeared open to the formula being worked out, Mr Manjhi is still reportedly unhappy and angling for more tickets, sources said.
According to one source, the former JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister reportedly wants 25 seats and another 10 of his candidates to be allowed to fight under the BJP symbol. Sources said he was expected to fly to Patna in the morning, a tactic to put more pressure on the BJP.
Mr Manjhi - who had been offered around 15 seats -- had been asserting that he would not contest fewer seats than Lok Janashakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, who is expected to get around 40 seats.
Both leaders have been vying to position themselves as leaders of the deprived but sizable Dalit and Mahadalit sections and exchanging public barbs.
The BJP wants to contest 165 seats so it could have a shot at winning at least 122 -- the halfway mark in the 243-member assembly -- to reduce dependence on allies. That leaves the allies with only 78 seats.
The division called for a deft balancing act from the BJP, especially in view of the very public sniping between its allies.
The BJP also has to provide an acceptable number of seats to Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party. His party is popular among the Keori community and there are apprehensions that he might switch sides after winning a chunk of seats.
The BJP had intended to give RLSP around 25 seats - but the new understanding with Mr Manjhi may doing the math afresh.