NDA Announces Seat Sharing for Bihar Assembly Elections

NDA's Seat Distribution for Bihar Elections

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has officially revealed its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. This time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) have decided to contest an equal number of seats, with each party fielding candidates in 101 constituencies. Additionally, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest in 29 seats. Furthermore, Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will each participate in 6 seats.

According to available information, extensive meetings took place in Delhi and Patna among NDA leaders to finalize the seat distribution. Key figures included BJP's election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, Vinod Tawde, and Nityanand Rai, along with senior leaders from LJP, RLM, and HAM. Notably, Chirag Paswan initially sought 40 seats but ultimately agreed to 29 after negotiations.

This marks the first instance since 2005 that the BJP and JD(U) are contesting an equal number of seats. In the previous 2020 elections, JD(U) contested 115 seats while BJP fielded candidates in 110. By taking this step, both parties aim to convey a clear message that there are no disputes within the alliance in Bihar.

Experts suggest that Chirag Paswan has emerged as the 'biggest beneficiary' of this seat-sharing agreement, as he secured 29 seats instead of the initially proposed 26. Meanwhile, Manjhi expressed no objections to the allocation of six seats, stating it was a decision made by the high command.

In the meantime, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has released its first list of 32 candidates and hinted at the formation of a third front. Additionally, the opposition Grand Alliance is in the process of finalizing its seat-sharing agreement, with ongoing discussions between Congress and RJD. An announcement regarding all seats is expected within the next two to three days.

Reports indicate that Congress may contest between 50 to 100 seats this time. It is noteworthy that in the 2020 elections, Congress contested 70 seats and won 19, while RJD contested 144 seats and secured 75, establishing a strong presence in the assembly. This time, all parties are focusing intently on seat distribution and alliance strategies, which are likely to significantly impact the political landscape in Bihar.