BJP targets 35 LS seats from Bihar in 2024

PATNA: Ousted from power in Bihar following the sudden decision of the JD(U) to walk out of the NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set a target of winning 35 parliamentary seats in the state in the 2024 general elections.

Speaking after a meeting of leaders of Bihar BJP core committee and its central leaders in Delhi on Tuesday evening, state unit president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal said, “The meeting discussed the political scenario of Bihar. A new alliance has been formed, which is a betrayal of people’s mandate. It is an alliance formed to facilitate the return of lalu Raj.”

“In 2024 Lok Sabha polls, we will win no less than 35 seats and emerge as a stronger party in state. We will take the betrayal done by Nitish Kumar to the people,” he said.

Currently, out of the total 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, BJP has 17 while Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has 16. Six seats are with the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), which has since split into two factions, while Congress has one.

“It was decided in the meeting that BJP will now work afresh in Bihar and will tell the public how and why Nitish Kumar broke the alliance. It will also pose questions before the Bihar CM as to how will he give 20 lakh jobs to the public, what is the blue print of this…,” said a BJP leader.

Another leader said that Bihar BJO unit might see restructuring by second week of September, after Jaiswal’s term ends in midSeptember. “Selection of a new Bihar BJP chief, a strong leader of opposition in Assembly and Legislative Council were also the agenda of the meeting,” said a BJP leader.

“The BJP has so far has been confident of support of the EBCs and the Mahadalits, the main vote base of JD (U), due to its alliance with the party. But now the party is going to reach out to them as well,” said a senior BJP leader. OBCs and EBCs account for nearly 50% of the state’s population while SCs and STs form 17% of the population in Bihar.