Patna/New Delhi: With the Bihar Assembly elections officially scheduled for November 6 and 11, political activity has intensified across alliances — but while the Grand Alliance claims to have finalised its seat-sharing deal, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is struggling to resolve internal disputes.
According to sources, a major disagreement has erupted between Union Minister Chirag Paswan, chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM). Both leaders have taken firm positions on the number of seats their parties should contest under the NDA banner.
Chirag Paswan is reportedly demanding 30 seats, while Jitan Ram Manjhi has made it clear that he will not settle for fewer than 15. The deadlock has prompted an urgent round of negotiations led by senior BJP leaders including Dharmendra Pradhan, the party’s election in-charge for Bihar, Vinod Tawde, the state in-charge, and Bihar minister Mangal Pandey. The three leaders held a closed-door meeting at Chirag Paswan’s Delhi residence on Monday in an attempt to reach a compromise.
चिराग संवारेंगे बिहार,
बेहतर विकास विकसित बिहार #चिराग_साथे_बिहार #Chirag4Bihar pic.twitter.com/P4FpxeXe3H— Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) (@LJP4India) October 6, 2025
A source close to the developments said that “efforts are being made to convince Chirag, but he is firm on his stance,” adding that both smaller NDA allies are seeking what they describe as “respectable representation” within the alliance.
The friction comes just days after the Election Commission of India announced that Bihar’s 243-member Assembly will go to polls in two phases, with results to be declared on November 14.
Earlier, LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Arun Bharti had hinted that the party expects “between 45 and 137 seats” — a statement seen as an indication of its growing ambitions. The BJP, which leads the NDA coalition in Bihar along with the Janata Dal (United), is reportedly seeking to maintain balance between its allies while avoiding public discord ahead of the campaign launch.
Meanwhile, sources within the Grand Alliance — comprising the RJD, Congress, and Left parties — have claimed that their seat-sharing talks have concluded and that an official announcement could be made “within a day or two.”
