"NDA Is One, Will Fight Bihar Election Together": Ravi Shankar Prasad

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said the constituents of the NDA will contest the Bihar assembly election together, asserting that problems within the coalition will be resolved. Mr Prasad, Union Law Minister, exuded confidence that the Nitish Kumar-led alliance in Bihar will win the election with a decisive mandate because of the development work done by the centre and the state government.

"NDA is one... We will contest the elections together. If there is some problem, it will be solved," he said, replying to a question on the differences between the LJP and JD(U).

Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Chirag Paswan-led LJP have been at loggerheads for some time. The LJP has indicated that it would field candidates against the JD(U), leading to an uneasy situation within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar.

Even as Mr Paswan goes by his loyalty towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in whose cabinet his father and LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan is a minister, he has often criticised the Nitish Kumar government.

The election will be held in the state in three phases from October 28 to November 7. The votes will be counted on November 10.

Speaking to reporters at the party office here, Mr Prasad said discussions are underway on seat-sharing "at levels where it should be". "This is the domain of the parliamentary board and central election committee. It is their job to decide. I can't enter their domain," he said, replying to a question on the seat-sharing formula.

Mr Prasad, who represents the Patna Sahib seat in Lok Sabha, said the Nitish Kumar-led government has done a lot of work for the state's development.

"I am confident that the people of Bihar will bless the NDA and help it return to power with a decisive mandate because of its development work. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's love for Bihar is evident from the fact that the announcements which he made have been translated into reality," the minister said.