New Delhi/IBNS: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formally announced its seat-sharing formula in Bihar on Monday evening, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contesting in 17 seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United will contest 16 seats while Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party will contest from five seats,

Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha's RLM get one seat each.

The LJP faction led by Chirag Paswan's uncle Pashupati Paras, who landed a cabinet berth after splitting the party three years ago, is not part of the NDA.

The Paras faction was dropped after it became clear that Chirag Paswan's unit had complete command over the Paswan vote. The community comprises 6 percent of the voting population.

The BJP has taken Nawada, a stronghold of the LJP, and has given Sheohar to Nitish Kumar's JD(U) in place of Gaya and Karakat.  The JD(U) has also got Kishanganj, which it lost to the Congress last time.

Kumar's JD(U) broke the Grand Alliance a second time and joined hands with the BJP early this year.