The BJP has invited the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS) to the National Democratic Alliance meeting in Delhi on July 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend it.

The NDA meeting is being seen as a show of strength as it coincides with the Opposition unity meeting in Bangalore, expected to be attended by around 24-25 parties — up from the 17 that participated the first one in Patna on June 23.

Both Bihar-based parties — LJP (Ram Vilas) and HAMS — made public on Saturday the letters written to them by BJP national president J.P. Nadda. They have been invited to the meeting as “important allies” and “allied parties” of the NDA.

The invitation also tells the two parties that their “role and assistance not only strengthens the alliance, but also provides strength to the developmental journey of the country”.

“Our patron, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and national president Santosh Kumar Suman will participate in the NDA meeting scheduled in Delhi on July 18 in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections. The two leaders will reach the national capital a day ahead of the meeting,” HAMS Bihar president Rajnish Kumar said.

Rajnish also pointed out that home minister Amit Shah had recently requested Manjhi to join the NDA, which he has “accepted without any condition”.

Though there has been no particular announcement by LJP (Ram Vilas) leaders about attending the meeting, sources said its national president and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan would attend it.