New Delhi: In a key political development ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday officially announced its seat-sharing formula. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] will contest 101 seats each, while the remaining seats have been distributed among smaller alliance partners.
According to the finalized agreement:
BJP – 101 seats
JD(U) – 101 seats
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) – 29 seats
Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) – 6 seats
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) – 6 seats
The announcement was made on social media platform X by Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tawde, who emphasized that the decision was reached amicably and with mutual consensus among the NDA allies. “Organized and dedicated NDA… All NDA allies have unanimously decided on seat-sharing in a cordial atmosphere,” he posted.
The declaration comes after intense deliberations between NDA partners following the announcement of election dates. Leaders from various parties expressed confidence and unity after the seat-sharing was finalized.
Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan declared, “Bihar is ready — Once again an NDA government, this time with full strength,” promoting his party’s campaign slogan #BiharFirstBihariFirst.
Other NDA leaders, including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha, also confirmed the alliance’s readiness through their respective posts on X.
The seat-sharing deal was concluded after multiple meetings among top NDA leaders. A crucial session of the BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) was held at party headquarters in New Delhi, attended by senior figures like BJP National President JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nityanand Rai, Sarbananda Sonowal, and several key leaders from Bihar and other states.
Notably present were former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa, Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal, and other prominent leaders such as Mangal Pandey and Iqbal Singh Lalpura.
On the opposition front, the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), comprising RJD, Congress, CPI (ML), CPI, CPM, and Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP), is also in the final stages of seat-sharing negotiations.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son, Tejashwi Yadav, met Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in Delhi to discuss seat distribution. Congress leaders Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Pawan Khera acknowledged delays but assured that a final announcement is imminent.
Meanwhile, Pashupati Kumar Paras, chief of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, has not yet revealed his party’s plans, saying a decision will be announced by October 17.
JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad predicted a significant decline in RJD’s performance, asserting that the people of Bihar are rallying behind CM Nitish Kumar and the NDA. “The NDA is poised for a landslide victory,” he said.
The NDA’s internal coordination was also evident in a key strategy meeting held at JP Nadda’s residence on Saturday. It was attended by leaders including Amit Shah, Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM), and others from the alliance.
The LJP (Ram Vilas) also held its Central Parliamentary Board meeting in Delhi, chaired by Chirag Paswan, where final seat-related decisions were discussed. Party MP Shambhavi Chaudhary noted that discussions were still ongoing but nearing completion.
Key Election Dates for Bihar:
Polling: November 6 and November 11
Counting of Votes: November 14
Total Assembly Seats: 243
This election will also see a new entrant, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, entering the political fray, potentially reshaping the state’s electoral dynamics.
With both alliances solidifying their positions, Bihar is set for a high-stakes political battle, where alliances, leadership, and local narratives will play a decisive role in determining the next government.
