The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has officially finalised its seat-sharing agreement ahead of the upcoming elections for the 243-member assembly. Both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest 101 seats each. The remaining 41 seats will go to other smaller allies, indicating a strategic move to consolidate support.
Under this new arrangement, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, has been allocated 29 constituencies. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) of Jitan Ram Manjhi will contest six seats, with Rashtriya Lok Morcha of Upendra Kushwaha also receiving six constituencies. This distribution highlights the NDA’s approach to bring its allies together for a stronger electoral front.
This election marks a significant shift for the JD(U) as it will not contest more seats than the BJP for the first time since 2005. The reduced seat count reflects the BJP’s expanding influence and the JD(U)’s decreased political leverage in Bihar.
BJP’s poll in-charge for Bihar, Dharmendra Pradhan, remarked that the seat-sharing decision resulted from cordial discussions amongst partners. “Bihar is ready for another NDA government,” he confidently stated. Similar sentiments echoed from JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, who characterised the talks as “amicable and unanimous,” reinforcing the unity within the alliance.
Despite earlier reports suggesting some dissatisfaction with the allocations, Jitan Ram Manjhi accepted the offer, expressing satisfaction with the seats his party received. He declared, “I will stay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath,” indicating a commitment to the alliance.
In the preceding 2020 assembly polls, the JD(U) had contested 115 seats while the BJP contested 110 seats, with HAM fielding candidates in seven constituencies. The JD(U) managed to secure 43 seats, whereas the BJP won a substantial 74 seats. These outcomes strained the alliance, leading to a temporary exit for Nitish Kumar from the NDA, underscoring the need for this recalibrated seat-sharing strategy.
The Bihar Assembly elections are set to take place in two phases on November 6 and 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14. This timeline sets the stage for what promises to be a highly competitive electoral battle, emphasizing the importance of strategic alliances within the region.
