NEW DELHI: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar is caught in a deepening deadlock over seat-sharing arrangements, with tensions rising among key allies just weeks ahead of the Assembly polls scheduled for early November. Despite several rounds of informal talks, no consensus has emerged, and the delay is fuelling uncertainty within the coalition.
According to insiders, the BJP is struggling to balance the growing demands of its allies—JD(U) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Leaders of JDU close to Nitish Kumar not prepared to compromise on seats bargaining with BJP. However BJP trying its best to cut to size JDU from its seats claim from 121 to 70 seats in order to pacify Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party. Notably each partners of NDA pressing for a larger share of seats, citing their regional clout, while the BJP wants to retain its dominance in the state and looking to emerge largest party to push its claim for CM on the pattern of Maharashtra.
The crisis came into sharp focus last week when BJP national president J.P. Nadda visited Patna but returned without holding a one-on-one meeting with Nitish Kumar. Political observers view this communication gap as a clear indication of the trust deficit between the two pillars of the NDA in Bihar. Significantly, sources in both parties confirm that no formal meeting on seat distribution has yet taken place.
Adding to the tension, Chirag Paswan has publicly demanded 40 seats for his party, while Jitan Ram Manjhi is unwilling to settle for anything below 20. Both leaders have hinted that they could reconsider their place in the alliance if their claims are not met on time. Upendra Kushwaha, the third smaller ally, is being informally offered 10 seats, though his party has not yet given its consent.
BJP strategists privately admit that conceding such high numbers to allies could weaken their own standing in Bihar. Party insiders suggest that the maximum compromise formula under consideration is 20 seats for LJP, 10 for HAM, and 10 for Kushwaha’s party—a proposal far short of what the allies are demanding.
The delay in finalizing the seat-sharing formula also appears tactical. NDA leaders are keenly watching the INDIA bloc, which is expected to release its candidate list soon. By waiting, the NDA hopes to adjust its allocations and counter the opposition’s moves strategically.
However, with allies issuing open threats and BJP yet to engage Nitish Kumar directly, the standoff underscores the fragile unity within the NDA. If unresolved quickly, the tussle could not only weaken the alliance’s electoral machinery but also open space for the INDIA bloc to capitalize on NDA’s internal discord.
