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Om Prakash Rajbhar, a two-time MLA and a former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister, made a series of bold claims on Thursday as he is turning his attention to poll-bound Bihar after Uttar Pradesh. Speaking to NDTV, Rajbhar said that he will contest 30 seats in Bihar.

“But, if we are not given a respectable number, then all options are open. My party is even prepared to contest 150 seats even if it helps or hurts the NDA,” he said, as quoted by NDTV.

The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party of Rabhar is a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance that controls the federal and Bihar governments. The recent claim by Rajbhar is a signal for an additional worry for the NDA ahead of the assembly election in Bihar. The poll is likely to be held by the end of this year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is already grappling with Chirag Paswan’s party. The Lok Janshakti Party leader earlier said that his party intends to contest all 243 seats on its own. 

Another problem for BJP is about the statement of Rajbhar and the discontent brewing over seat-sharing in Bihar polls. Amid claims of contesting 30 seats, it’s unlikely that Om Prakash Rajbhar's SBSP will be allotted 30 (of Bihar's 243) seats outside its home state.

Meanwhile, the threat of going solo will result in the splitting of votes, and it will build pressure on the BJP and its alliance ahead of the polls. 

According to NDTV, Rajbhar did not say which parties he was in talks with. However, his tone suggested that the negotiations have not, so far, yielded satisfactory results. 

Rajbhar also joined Paswan in criticising Nitish Kumar over the law and order situation in a state that has seen a shocking number of murders in the past weeks.

"Nitish Kumar should implement the Yogi (i.e., UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) model in Bihar... the state's current governance model has failed," he declared.