The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has joined forces to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the crucial assembly elections. The seat-sharing agreement designates both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest 101 seats each in the 243-member assembly. The remaining 41 seats will be allocated among smaller allied parties.
As part of this arrangement, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, will contest 29 constituencies. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), headed by Jitan Ram Manjhi, will see candidates in six seats, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, under Upendra Kushwaha, will also field candidates in six seats.
This decision marks the first time since 2005, when Nitish Kumar first led the NDA to power, that the JD(U) will not contest more seats than the BJP. This shift signals the BJP’s growing influence in Bihar politics and reflects the JD(U)’s reduced standing in the state’s political arena.
The BJP’s Bihar poll in-charge, Dharmendra Pradhan, emphasized the amicable nature of the talks, stating that all partners reached the decision “in a cordial manner.” He expressed optimism, saying, “Bihar is ready for another NDA government.”
Leaders from allied parties shared similar sentiments, including Paswan, Kushwaha, and JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, who hailed the negotiations as “amicable and unanimous.” Despite initial tensions over seat distributions, Jitan Ram Manjhi conveyed his approval of the arrangement, asserting, “We are satisfied with what we have received… I will stay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath.”
In the previous 2020 assembly polls, JD(U) fielded candidates in 115 seats while BJP contested 110 seats. During that election, JD(U) only won 43 seats, whereas the BJP secured 74, creating frictions within the alliance that led to a temporary exit of Nitish Kumar from the NDA.
The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections are set to take place in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14. This crucial political engagement is expected to shape the future governance of Bihar as parties prepare vigorously for the polls.