The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has finalized its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assembly elections, but the distribution has triggered some unease among alliance partners. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) will contest 101 seats each. Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-RV) will contest 29 seats, while Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will each contest six seats.
The announcement, made on Sunday, October 12, 2025, follows a series of meetings in Delhi and Patna to negotiate the allocation of seats for the 243-member Assembly. While NDA leaders have publicly stated that the seat-sharing was completed in a cordial atmosphere, some partners have expressed dissatisfaction.
Chirag Paswan's LJP-RV appears to be a significant beneficiary in the deal, securing 29 seats after assertive negotiations. The party's strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it won all five seats it contested, likely contributed to its increased share in the Assembly polls. However, this allocation has reportedly caused friction within the NDA, as some of the seats given to the LJP-RV were previously BJP strongholds. Seats such as Brahmpur, Govindganj, Arwal, Hisua, and Danapur, which have historically been with the BJP, are now allocated to the LJP-RV, sparking internal discussions.
Smaller parties within the NDA have also voiced their concerns. Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of HAM, expressed disappointment, stating that his party had hoped for more seats, considering they contested eight seats in 2020. Upendra Kushwaha, chief of RLM, also conveyed his dissatisfaction, though both HAM and RLM have reaffirmed their commitment to the alliance and Prime Minister Modi. Manjhi stated that despite the feeling of sadness among party workers, they would abide by the decision and work towards an NDA victory.
The current seat-sharing arrangement marks a shift from the 2020 Assembly elections. In 2020, the JD-U contested 115 seats, and the BJP contested 110. This election marks the first time since 2005 that the JD-U is not contesting more seats than the BJP. The NDA hopes to retain power in Bihar, emphasizing unity and coordinated campaigning among its constituents. BJP leaders are reportedly working to ease frictions and ensure a smooth and cordial alliance.
The opposition "Mahagathbandhan" alliance in Bihar is expected to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement in the coming days and announce its candidates and joint manifesto. The delay in the Mahagathbandhan's announcement has reportedly caused some discontent among its constituent parties.
With the deadline for filing nominations approaching, the political activity in Bihar is intensifying. The NDA's seat-sharing formula has set the stage for a competitive election, and the alliance will need to address the concerns of its partners to present a united front against the opposition. The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14.
