NDA finalises seat-sharing for all 243 Bihar seats; Chirag gets 29 seats

Patna: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has now finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for all 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar, marking the completion of negotiations that were nearly sealed yesterday. The formal announcement came today during a high-level meeting in Delhi, with NDA leaders expressing unity and confidence ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

Under the updated understanding, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) will each contest 101 seats, ensuring an equal share for the two largest allies. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Chirag Paswan, has been allocated 29 seats, up from the 26 discussed earlier. 

Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), headed by Jitan Ram Manjhi, will contest 6 seats (revised down from 7), while Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), under Upendra Kushwaha, retains its 6 seats. This totals exactly 243 seats, resolving the three remaining constituencies that were under talks as of Saturday.

RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha confirmed the final deal on X, stating, "We, the NDA partners, have finalized seat sharing in a spirit of unity and mutual respect," and listed the allocations as BJP - 101, JD(U) - 101, LJP(R) - 29, RLM - 6, and HAM - 6. 

JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha echoed this, noting that "NDA's seat-sharing arrangement [is] finalised in Bihar; JD(U), BJP to contest 101 constituencies each." Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP's in-charge for Bihar, highlighted the consensus, saying the deal was reached "in a cordial atmosphere" and positions the alliance strongly for victory.

This equal split between BJP and JD(U), a shift from yesterday's reports of JD(U) getting one more seat, signals balanced leadership within the coalition, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) maintaining its pivotal role alongside the BJP. Smaller allies like LJP(RV), which had pushed for a larger share, appear satisfied with the upward adjustment to 29 seats, while HAM's slight reduction reflects final tweaks in the negotiations.

Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal had earlier dismissed speculation of discord, affirming that the central leadership would handle the announcement. Kushwaha had also indicated ongoing talks on Saturday, but with RLM's allocation unchanged at six seats, the bloc has now achieved full closure.

The NDA's swift resolution contrasts with delays in the opposition INDIA bloc's seat-sharing, where allies like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) continue to face internal hurdles. Elections in Bihar are scheduled in multiple phases from October to November 2025, with the NDA aiming to build on its 2020 tally of 125 seats.