Jharkhand Assembly election is always special for Bihar.

With the Assembly poll dates in the neighbouring state set for November 13 and 20, several Bihar-based political parties — Janata Dal United (JDU), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), CPIML, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) or LJPR, and Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS) — are vying with their allies for seats.

Hectic negotiations are on, at times spilling into the public and creating stress among the parties, which has the potential to damage their respective alliances in the near or distant future.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU has emerged as the hard bargainer in the current situation, with its Jharkhand leaders demanding 11 seats out of a total 91 from the bigger ally BJP, threatening to topple the NDA cart.

On the other hand, the BJP, it’s Jharkhand poll co-incharge and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been quite vocal about the JDU to be given only two to three seats to contest. This has triggered vociferous protests.

“He (Sarma) does not know anything but is talking about seat-sharing negotiations. We have made thorough preparations to contest 11 seats and we are ready to field candidates on them. We have already submitted the concerned list to our party president Nitish Kumar. However, we are ready to exchange a few seats if the BJP wants,” said Rajya Sabha member and JDU Jharkhand president Khiru Mahto.

Mahto’s tough stand has made the going difficult for the BJP in Jharkhand, though it is said to be finalising the seat sharing with the NDA members.

“One thing is certain. We are going to contest the Jharkhand polls as a part of the NDA. It is the decision of the central executive of our party. However, the seat negotiations are going on and our top leaders will decide on the number and constituencies,” JDU MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told The Telegraph.

A JDU source said that the BJP has offered two Assembly seats to the JDU and the latter would most likely accept it.

Another NDA member LJPR has been making noise about going solo in Jharkhand polls after Sarma left its name and announced that the BJP would contest with JDU and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU).

LJPR leader and Union minister for food processing industries Chirag Paswan pointed out that Jharkhand, which was a part of Bihar till 2000, was the ‘karmabhoomi’ (work area) of his father and former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

“Our party has a strong base in Jharkhand and we are keeping all our options open, including going solo in the state polls,” Chirag said.