Patna: Union home minister and BJP’s chief strategist Amit Shah is set to play a decisive role in shaping the NDA’s campaign for the Bihar assembly elections, with two visits to Patna scheduled for September 18 and 27.
Shah will chair a series of strategy meetings with BJP leaders and allies, including JD (U, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), as the coalition races to iron out seat-sharing disputes and streamline its campaign. Bihar has been divided into five zones by the BJP for election purposes, with Shah expected to hold separate review sessions for each.
The visits come at a critical juncture, with the election code of conduct likely to be imposed by early October. “Amit Shah will hold meetings with all the officials associated with the party organisation during his Bihar visit. The feedback received from the field will be discussed and the outline of the election campaign will be decided,” said state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal.
Sources suggest that Shah has already taken feedback from leaders in Delhi and will now seek to reconcile competing demands from NDA partners. The BJP is keen to avoid the friction seen in 2020, when seat-sharing disagreements weakened the alliance in several constituencies.
Beyond distribution of seats, Shah’s agenda includes discussions on candidate selection, campaign themes, and coordination among ground workers. His visit is seen as more than symbolic, with leaders describing it as the foundation-laying exercise for NDA’s bid to retain power in Bihar.
The current Nitish Kumar government’s term ends on November 22, and elections are expected to be completed between October and early November. With little time left, Shah’s presence in Patna underlines the urgency of settling internal matters before facing a resurgent opposition.
