NDA Partners Gear Up for Bihar Elections Amid Mixed Signals

NDA Partners Gear Up for Bihar Elections Amid Mixed Signals

NEW DELHI: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is preparing for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, but the mood among its partners appears mixed following the announcement of seat-sharing arrangements. While Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Upendra Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha expressed optimism about the alliance, Jitan Ram Manjhi of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) voiced concerns about the impact of the seat distribution on party morale.

The NDA's seat-sharing plan allocates 101 seats each to the BJP and JD(U), while the LJP (Ram Vilas) receives 29 seats, and both HAM and RLM are assigned six seats each. Manjhi has been vocal about his dissatisfaction, stating that the arrangement has "weakened" the morale of his party's workers. He mentioned, "It is true that we have secured fewer seats, the morale of our workers is weakened, and there is deep dissatisfaction among the workers, which I can only assure them will be compensated for in the future."

Despite his concerns, Manjhi expressed confidence in the NDA's potential for victory, emphasizing the need for stability in Bihar. He stated, "The NDA will triumph, and Bihar’s honour will endure… 'Victory to Modi, Destined for Nitish.'" Earlier, he had warned of possible repercussions within the NDA due to the perceived undervaluation of his party, as he had requested 15 seats.

In contrast, Paswan and Kushwaha both affirmed that the seat allocation issues have been resolved through "amicable discussions." Paswan noted, "The discussion on which party will contest which seat is also in its final stages with positive talks. Under the leadership of Modi ji and Nitish ji, all NDA parties are fully prepared with unity."

BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal also dismissed rumors of discord within the alliance, asserting that the NDA is "completely united" and confident of winning over 200 seats in the elections. He highlighted the party's first list of 71 candidates, which includes both prominent and new leaders, aiming to bring fresh energy to the campaign.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh reiterated the unity of the NDA under Nitish Kumar's leadership, dismissing the opposition as a "gang of cheats" and emphasizing that all decisions are made with Kumar's consent.

The Bihar Assembly elections are set for November 6 and 11, with results to be announced on November 14. The NDA will face off against the opposition INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, among others, as well as new entrants like Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj party.