Guwahati: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formally announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, with the BJP and JD(U) contesting 101 seats each, while Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will field candidates in 29 constituencies. Smaller allies — Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) — will contest six seats each in the 243-member Assembly.
The announcement followed marathon discussions in Delhi and Patna involving senior NDA leaders, including Dharmendra Pradhan, Vinod Tawde, and Nityanand Rai, as well as leaders from LJP(R), RLM, and HAM. Pradhan, who serves as the BJP’s Bihar election in-charge, announced the deal on social media platform X, marking the first time since 2005 that the BJP and JD(U) will contest an equal number of seats.
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AASU leaders emphasized that the arrangement reflects a united NDA, intent on returning Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to power. JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha said the deal was finalised “in a cordial atmosphere” and reaffirmed the alliance’s unity.
Chirag Paswan, seen as a major gainer in the talks, secured 29 seats — three more than initially offered. The BJP reportedly ceded some of its sitting seats to accommodate him. HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, accepting six seats, stated, “We stand firmly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath.”
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Meanwhile, the AIMIM released a list of 32 candidates, signalling the possibility of a third front. The opposition Mahagathbandhan is expected to finalise its seat-sharing this week, with RJD and Congress in the final stages of discussions. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the alliance was “accommodating new partners” and expected to announce its seat distribution within “two to three days.”
