New Delhi Chronicle Staff Reporter
Patna | August 25:With the Bihar Assembly elections just months away, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is close to finalising its seat-sharing arrangement. According to sources, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) are expected to contest 100–105 seats each out of the 243 constituencies.
Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which is demanding 40 seats, is likely to be offered around 20. The remaining constituencies will go to Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).
A possible game-changer could be Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), which is currently aligned with the RJD-Congress Mahagathbandhan but may switch sides.
JD(U) Insists on Equal Share With BJP
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) contested 115 seats and the BJP 110. Despite BJP winning 74 compared to JD(U)’s 43, the JD(U) leadership insists on contesting no fewer than 100 seats this time.
A senior NDA leader said:
“The JD(U)’s weaker performance in 2020 was due to LJP fielding candidates against it. JD(U) still commands around 10% of Bihar’s vote base, particularly among Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs). The campaign is centred on returning Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister, so parity with BJP is non-negotiable.”Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) Pushes for Bigger Role
Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) has become the main point of contention. While the party is asking for 40 seats, BJP leaders believe 20 is a more realistic figure.
“They have five MPs, which is respected, but their weight in Assembly politics does not justify 40 seats. We must also adjust for Kushwaha, Manjhi, and possible new allies,” said a BJP insider.The LJP (RV) claims its demand is justified after its 2024 Lok Sabha performance, where it won all five seats it contested, securing over 6% of the vote share and leading in 29 of the 30 Assembly segments under its constituencies.
Lessons from 2020: LJP’s Role in NDA’s Setback
In the 2020 polls, the undivided LJP contested 135 seats but won just one. However, it damaged the NDA’s chances in several constituencies: in 64 seats it polled more votes than the margin of victory, directly hurting the JD(U) in 27 constituencies.
This history has made the BJP cautious about conceding too much ground to Chirag Paswan’s party.
Outlook: Alliance Equations Still in Flux
LJP (RV) leaders maintain their aggressive seat demand is part of a long-term strategy to expand in Bihar and aim for 15% vote share in the future. Recent criticisms of Nitish Kumar’s governance by Paswan are also seen as pressure tactics.
As the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 approach, the NDA seat-sharing formula looks largely settled between BJP and JD(U), but the exact role of Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) and smaller allies could decide the alliance’s final shape.
