Lok Sabha Election 2024: BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the party fielded him from Pataliputra for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would secure victory in all 40 seats in Bihar and the BJP-led NDA would cross 400 seats in the general elections.

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"First of all, I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah, Bihar deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha for showing trust in me once again," Yadav told ANI during the Holi celebrations in Patna on Monday.

Thanking the people of Patliputra he said, "I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the people of Patliputra who have given me the opportunity to serve them."
"I think the opposition is finished. They are scared that they will not get a single seat. So, they are saying whatever they want...The slogan '400 paar' will be fulfilled and we will definitely win 40 seats in Bihar. They (Mahagathbandhan in Bihar) do not trust each other. They are hungry for power. The corrupt just want to come to power and save themselves. This is a'mismatched marriage' and will head for a 'divorce' soon," he said.

When asked about Misa Bharti contesting the elections on a RJD ticket, he said that there was no fight anywhere, the BJP would win the elections. "For the past many years, I have been serving people with honesty. I also thank our double-engine government, PM Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The people of the nation are supporting PM Modi and Nitish Kumar and under their vision, the development work in the state is taking place," he further said.

The BJP on Sunday released its fifth list of 111 candidates for Lok Sabha elections and fielded Union ministers RK Singh from Arrah, Nityanand Rai from Ujiarpur, and Giriraj Singh from Begusarai. Former Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad from Patna Sahib, Rajiv Pratap Rudy from Saran, Radha Mohan Singh from Purvi Champaran, and Ram Kripal Yadav from Pataliputra also figure in the list.

Earlier in 2014, Ram Kripal revolted after Lalu Prasad decided to field his elder daughter Misa Bharti from the Patliputra seat as the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) nominee and joined the BJP.
The Pataliputra seat comprises six assembly segments, including Danapur, Maner, Phulwari, Masaurhi, Paliganj and Bikram.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav's daughter Misha (Misa) Bharti lost the Pataliputra constituency to Ram Kripal Yadav in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Ram Kripal Yadav was Lalu Yadav's close aide before 2014.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest on 17 seats, Janata Dal-United (JDU) on 16 seats, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) (Ram Vilas) on 5 seats, and Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha on one seat each in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The first phase of polling will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, consisting of BJP, JDU (Janata Dal-United), and LJP (Lok Janshakti Party), secured victory by taking the lead on 39 out of 40 seats. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), INC (Indian National Congress), and RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samta Party), only managed to secure one seat.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 date

The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19. Counting of votes on June 4.