Hours after the BJP-led NDA announced seat-sharing in Bihar on Sunday in Delhi, an emerging backward caste leader Mukesh Sahni, popularly known as 'son of mallah (fishermen and boatmen)' joined the 'grand alliance' of opposition parties to contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Mukesh Sahni, who is also president of newly formed Vikassheel Insaan Party, told media that the party has decided to join the 'grand alliance' under the leadership of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his younger son Tejashwi Yadav, who is the Bihar Opposition leader.

"We hope that Grand Alliance will win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in 2019 by defeating the NDA," Sahni said.

Tejashwi has welcomed Sahni in the grand alliance. In the last one week Sahni is second to join the grand alliance after RLSP chief and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha did so on December 20 after quitting the NDA.

In the last Lok Sabha polls, Sahni supported the NDA.

Mukesh Sahni, a 38-year-old former Bollywood set designer, tried his best to join NDA with a condition that he be given at least one Lok Sabha seat to contest, sources said.

--IANS

ik/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)