New Delhi/Patna: With Bihar’s nomination process now open, political negotiations within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have intensified — and all eyes are on Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who is holding a key meeting of his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in New Delhi today.
The closed-door meeting follows five rounds of high-level discussions between Chirag and senior BJP functionaries, including Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Nityanand Rai, as well as BJP’s Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde, over the last three days. Sources say the BJP is keen to reach a compromise with the LJP leader before the weekend, with a formal announcement of the NDA’s seat-sharing arrangement expected within 48 hours.
“The discussions are in the final stages. Everyone within the NDA is working together to ensure the alliance’s victory in Bihar,” a senior LJP (Ram Vilas) functionary told PatnaPress on condition of anonymity.
Pressure builds as nomination deadlines loom
#WATCH | Delhi | Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) Chief Chirag Paswan leaves from his residence to go to his party office to have discussions on seat sharing.
He says, “I have nothing to say now. All seat-sharing-related announcements will be made later.” pic.twitter.com/EbRAg2k931
— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2025
The Election Commission’s notification for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections — covering 121 constituencies — was issued on October 10, but the NDA and the RJD-led Grand Alliance have yet to declare their seat-sharing formulas. Both alliances are racing against time as the last date for nominations in the first phase is October 17.
Negotiations within the NDA have been particularly delicate. The BJP has faced its toughest challenge convincing Chirag Paswan, whose party’s impressive performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — winning all five seats it contested — has strengthened his bargaining position.
Chirag’s demands and the NDA’s dilemma
#WATCH | LJP(Ram Vilas) MPs, including Shambhavi Choudhary and Rajesh Verma, and other party leaders, arrive at the party office in Delhi to attend the meeting of party’s Parliamentary board to discuss the seat sharing in NDA and finalisation of party candidate for Bihar Assembly… pic.twitter.com/0epYsvS7Tr
— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2025
Riding on a 100 percent strike rate in the general elections, Chirag has sought around 30 assembly seats, including a few high-profile constituencies traditionally contested by the JD(U) and the BJP. Among these is the Sikandra seat, currently held by Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)- Secular, which Manjhi has refused to part with.
The NDA leadership is treading cautiously to avoid another rupture. In 2020, Chirag broke away from the alliance and fielded candidates independently, most of them against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U). Though the LJP (Ram Vilas) won just one seat, it damaged the JD(U)’s prospects in over 20 constituencies — a setback that helped the RJD emerge as the single largest party.
Political analysts note that this time, the BJP appears determined to keep Chirag within the fold. “The NDA cannot afford a repeat of 2020,” said a Patna-based observer. “Chirag’s return to the alliance, with a fair share of seats, is essential for preventing a division of pro-NDA votes.”
The road ahead
Chirag, who has positioned himself as the political heir to his father and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan, has emerged as one of the key players in Bihar’s evolving electoral landscape. His demands — both in terms of seat numbers and symbolic constituencies — reflect his effort to assert the LJP (Ram Vilas) as a decisive force within the NDA.
Sources indicate that Saturday’s meeting in Delhi is expected to finalise the party’s internal strategy ahead of the NDA’s joint announcement. “Everything will be cleared soon,” one LJP leader said.
