NDA Bihar Seat Sharing Talks to Test Amit Shah Skill

If the BJP and the JD (U) contest 100 seats each, the NDA’s smaller allies may be adjusted in the remaining 43 seats.

By MANISH ANAND

NEW DELHI, September 18, 2025 — Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah on Thursday met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna ahead of the final discussions on seat sharing among the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The meeting took place amid assertive stance of two NDA constituents — the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).

Bihar Assembly elections will most likely take place in November this year. The Election Commission is likely to announce dates for the polls within a fortnight. Unlike the past elections, the Janata Dal (United), JD (U), is now facing pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party to sacrifice a few seats to accommodate the smaller NDA outfits. The JD (U) in the 2020 state elections had contested on 115 seats, while the BJP had fielded candidates in 110 constituencies.

But Chirag Paswan led LJP (Ram Vilas) is staking claims on 40 seats. The HAM is also pressing for 25 seats in the Bihar elections. Bihar has a total of 243 Assembly seats. If the BJP and the JD (U) stick to the 2020 formula, the LJP (Ram Vilas) and HAM will have to settle for far lesser number of seats in the upcoming polls.

Sources in the BJP said that the party leaders will seek to persuade incumbent Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to cede a few seats for the NDA allies. The BJP may also have to lower its bargaining from the JD (U). If the BJP and the JD (U) contest 100 seats each, the NDA’s smaller allies may be adjusted in the remaining 43 seats.

Sources said that the BJP leadership will also seek to impress upon the JD (U) that the NDA’s smaller allies need to be respected. The LJP (Ram Vilas) had contested the Bihar Assembly elections in 2020 alone. Chirag Paswan-led outfit claims to have strength on several seats in Bihar. Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Bihar Chief Minister and HAM leader, also claims that he has to meet demand of a number of party leaders to contest elections.

But the JD (U) has been contesting a greater number of seats than the BJP for a symbolic message that the party is a senior partner in the Bihar NDA. With JD (U) working president Sanjay Jha known to be close to the BJP leadership, the negotiations for the seat adjustment may make the Chief Minister cede space to the NDA allies, said sources.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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