The political landscape in Bihar is heating up as the state gears up for upcoming assembly elections. Amidst this, the NDA is navigating seat-sharing discussions, which are set to begin this Navratri season. Smaller parties within the alliance are actively seeking a larger share of the seats, and their demands are being voiced publicly. The focus is on finding common ground and reaching an amicable agreement among all coalition partners.
Formal seat allocation will be announced after the Election Commission unveils the election timetable for Bihar. KC Tyagi, a prominent JD(U) leader, confirmed that seat-sharing discussions are underway within the NDA during Navratri and an official announcement is anticipated shortly.
Prominent leaders representing the smaller NDA allies, including Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Upendra Kushwaha, are aiming for a substantial number of seats from the total 243 in Bihar. These leaders have openly expressed their ambitions. The smaller parties are strongly advocating for a greater number of seats because they are aware that if they wait too long, they may be forced to accept fewer seats from the larger partners due to time pressures. This has led to a flurry of public statements.
The reason for holding the discussions during Navratri is to reduce the anxiety among the smaller parties over seat allocation. Conversely, the larger parties, BJP and JD(U), feel that finalizing the allocation too early could cause disputes among the allies over seat distribution, and increase the possibility of candidates switching allegiances at the last moment. Therefore, delaying the finalization until closer to the elections is a strategic move to minimize these risks.
According to sources, the seat-sharing agreement among the NDA allies is expected to be finalized by the end of September or the start of October. Responding to the demand for more seats from LJP, HAM, and RLM, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi stated that smaller parties often issue such statements to motivate their workers and increase participation. He believes that all parties must do the same to keep their workers content and strengthen their position in the alliance. He hopes that these parties will be well-integrated into the NDA.
The NDA’s seat distribution is anticipated to mirror the outcomes of the previous assembly elections. The official announcement is expected after the formal notification for the Bihar assembly elections, with adjustments to accommodate Chirag Paswan.
Both the BJP and JD(U) have reached a consensus to compete in more than 100 seats each. This time, the NDA comprises five parties, and once the BJP and JD(U) have secured around a hundred seats each, the remaining three parties will divide the remaining approximately forty seats.
