Monday, January 10 2005 14:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: After hectic parleys, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Jan 10, 2005) arrived at an amicable seat-sharing arrangement for the Bihar Assembly polls with George Fernandes-led party contesting 138 seats, leaving the remaining 105 seats for the saffron party.

BJP sources said a decision on the seat-sharing was arrived at after marathon talks between its in-charge for Bihar elections and General Secretary Arun Jaitley, National Vice President Sushil Kumar Modi and JD-U team led by Nitish Kumar.

"We will contest the polls together but we will have separate manifestos," Nitish Kumar said addressing a joint press conference with BJP leader Arun Jaitley.

Both Jaitley and Nitish Kumar are expected to make a formal announcement in this regard later in the day.

Ruling BJP in Jharkhand will contest 63 seats and Janata Dal-U 17 in the coming Assembly polls, Kumar said.

Asked about prospects of Lok Janshankati Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan joining BJP-JD(U) alliance, Kumar said, "We have been working on it for a long time ever since Paswan announced that his party would not have any tie-up with RJD and Congress. We have even offered Chief Ministership to Paswan. It is now for him to take a decision. Our doors are open."