- By Akansha Pandey
- Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:23 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
Bihar NDA Seat-Sharing News: Although the Election Commission has announced that the Bihar Assembly Election will be held in two phases, the state's major political alliances, the NDA and the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), are still struggling to finalise their seat-sharing arrangements.
Senior BJP leaders including the party's Bihar polls in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP national general secretary Vina Tawde held talks with Chirag Paswan on Tuesday over LJP's share of seats in the state elections amid competing claims from their various allies.
"An NDA government is essential for the progress of Bihar, and all partners in the NDA alliance are committed to this," Tawde stated after the meet, without disclosing the specifics of the negotiation.
Besides the number of seats Paswan has sought, his party is keen on certain constituencies seen to be friendlier to his party's prospects. According to reports, Paswan has sought at least two assembly seats in each of the five Lok Sabha constituencies it had won in 2024.
As per reports, Chirag Paswan is seeking around 45-50 seats and pointed out that the last time it contested the assembly elections as part of the BJP-led NDA in 2015, it was given 43 seats to contest.
Apart from Union minister Paswan, other BJP allies are Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha besides Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), which enjoys parity with the BJP in the ruling coalition in Bihar in terms of seats.
Bihar Elections: The Numbers Game
The discussions between BJP leaders and LJP chief revolved around the seat-sharing for the upcoming Bihar Assembly Election 2025, which will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11. The results of the crucial polls will be announced on November 14.
Chirag Paswan's Demand: Paswan has sought a higher number of seats from 2015, when it was alloted 43 assembly constituencies to contest. Paswan has reportedly asked the NDA partners to allot his party at least 45-50 seats this year.
BJP's Offer: Initially, the LJP(R) was offered 18-20 seats. This offer has reportedly been increased to 25 seats, but a final agreement has not yet been reached.
Other NDA Allies' Demands
Negotiations are also underway with other NDA constituents:
Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM): Led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, HAM is officially demanding 16-18 seats but is expected to agree to a final count of 10-12. The party's argument is that it needs a sufficient number of seats to win at least seven MLA positions, which would secure its status as a state-level party.
Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM): Talks are also in progress with the RLM, though no conclusion has been reached.
JDU and BJP: There is reportedly no major dispute between the two principal partners, the JDU and the BJP. The JDU's primary demand is to continue the previous arrangement where it contests at least one more seat than the BJP, maintaining its position as the senior partner in the state.