The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has officially finalised its seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled for November. The Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will each contest 101 seats out of the 243-member assembly. The remaining 41 seats have been allocated to subordinate allies.
As part of this arrangement, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), headed by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, will contest 29 constituencies. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, is set to fight for six seats, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, under Upendra Kushwaha, will contest another six seats.
This decision marks a significant shift, as it’s the first time since 2005 that the JD(U) will not contest a greater number of seats than the BJP. This change indicates the BJP’s increasing dominance and reflects JD(U)’s declining political stature in the state.
BJP’s Bihar poll in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan commented that all partners reached this decision “in a cordial manner,” adding, “Bihar is ready for another NDA government.” Leaders from the allied parties, including Paswan, Kushwaha, and Sanjay Kumar Jha of JD(U), echoed these sentiments, branding the discussions as “amicable and unanimous.”
Contrary to earlier reports of dissatisfaction among allies, Jitan Ram Manjhi accepted the seat allocation, stating, “We are satisfied with what we have received… I will stay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath.” This statement underscores the commitment of smaller parties to the NDA ahead of the polls.
In the previous assembly elections held in 2020, the JD(U) contested 115 seats compared to the BJP’s 110 seats and HAM’s seven seats. The results revealed a challenging scenario for the JD(U), as it won only 43 seats, whereas the BJP managed to secure 74 seats. This outcome temporarily strained the coalition, leading to Nitish Kumar’s brief exit from the NDA.
The Bihar Assembly elections are set to occur in two phases – on November 6 and 11 – with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14. As the rival parties gear up for a crucial electoral battle, the focus on seat-sharing and strategic alliances remains pivotal in shaping the state’s political landscape.
