In NDA’s Bihar seat-sharing, BJP gives ‘fair deal’ to JD(U), Chirag; leaves Paras, Kushwaha in cold

Manjhi's HAM(S) and Kushwaha's RLM get one seat each; Kushwaha and Paras in touch with INDIA bloc

PM Narendra Modi with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. (Photo: Nitish Kumar/ X)

The ruling NDA finalised its seat-sharing in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls Monday, allotting 17 seats to the BJP, 16 to the JD(U), five to the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and one each to Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).

There were some signs of strains within the NDA over the agreement, with Kushwaha skipping the joint press conference held in Delhi for its announcement.

Sources said Kushwaha, who had expected at least two seats, has been in talks with the Opposition INDIA bloc and might join the latter’s camp.

The BJP cornered one more seat than Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), as both the major allies had contested an equal number of seats, 17, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

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However, the BJP sought to downplay it, saying that

The NDA virtually abided by the 2019 seat-sharing formula.

A BJP leader said, “Last time, we were three allies. This time,

NDA has five parties. JD(U) had 16 sitting seats and the party is contesting as many seats. Similarly, we had 17 sitting seats and we are also contesting as many seats.”

The BJP needed to accommodate the HAM(S) and the RLM as well.

Kushwaha seems to have suffered a loss due to the return of Nitish – who had shifted to the Mahagathbandhan camp in August 2022 – back to the NDA fold in January this year.

In the 2014 polls, Kushwaha’s then party RLSP had won three seats it contested as part of the NDA. But he had then got more weightage in the NDA because Nitish had parted ways with it.

Kushwaha’s space in the NDA has shrunk further following the rise of state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary, the deputy CM, who also belongs to the Kushwaha community.

Another highlight of the NDA’s seat-sharing deal this time was Jamui MP Chirag Paswan getting the better of his uncle and Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, who had split their party in 2022.

Paras, who is currently Hajipur MP, failed to get any seat for his National LJP faction from the BJP, which preferred Chirag over him in view of its assessment that the latter was the “real claimant” to his father late Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy and would hold on to the Paswan vote.

Chirag, however, had to concede one of the LJP’s sitting seats, Nawada, to the BJP.

If Paras, who is said to be in touch with the INDIA camp, switches sides, there could be a contest between Chirag and Paras in Hajipur, the seat that Ram Vilas represented nine times.

 

Declaring the seat-sharing pact, BJP national general secretary in charge of Bihar Vinod Tawde claimed that the NDA allies have clinched it in “48 hours”. The NDA, which had swept the state in the 2019 polls by winning 39 out of the state’s 40 seats, has now set a target of winning all the seats.

“Although the NDA parties will fight on their respective symbols, we are fighting together – and all allies will fight with all their might,” Tawde told the press conference, flanked by the JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha and other allies.

In 2019, the BJP, JD(U) and LJP together garnered 53% votes polled in the state.

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Although the return of Nitish has boosted the NDA’s prospects, the ruling coalition is likely to face a more formidable RJD-led Opposition in this Lok Sabha election.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi setting a target of 400 seats for the NDA, the poll outcome in Bihar would be crucial for the BJP.

The JD(U) conceded its Karakat seat to Kushwaha’s party, although it managed to get Sheohar from the BJP. Former RJD MP Lovely Anand, wife of ex-MP Anand Mohan, is likely to contest from Sheohar. Lovely and her son Chetan Anand – who was among three RJD MLAs to defect during Nitish’s trust vote – joined the JD(U) Monday.

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HAM(S) chief and ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi would contest from the Gaya seat, which is currently represented by the JD (U)’s Vijay Kumar.

The BJP is likely to contest the West Champaran, East Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, Saran, Ujiyarpur, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Saheb, Pataliputra, Ara, Buxar and Sasaram seats.