Patna: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) continues to grapple with internal strife over seat-sharing as Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), announced he would field candidates against LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, escalating tensions within the coalition.
Manjhi declared that his party would contest from Bodh Gaya and Makhdumpur, both seats currently claimed by Chirag Paswan’s faction. His statement comes amid growing signs of discord within the NDA, even as the BJP publicly backed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is reportedly unhappy with the current distribution of seats.
In a conciliatory gesture, the BJP has relinquished the Kahalgaon and Karakat seats, allowing them to return to JD(U)’s fold after protests from its leaders. Sources within the alliance confirm that Nitish Kumar is still pressing for further “reconsideration” of allocations, particularly for constituencies traditionally held by his party.
Meanwhile, tensions have also emerged between JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas) over the Sonbarsa and Rajgir constituencies. Despite Sonbarsa being marked for LJP(R) in NDA’s earlier list, JD(U) MLA and minister Ratnesh Sada was re-nominated by Nitish Kumar himself, signalling his unwillingness to cede ground.
Adding to the turmoil, JD(U) MP Ajay Mandal tendered his resignation to Nitish Kumar in protest against being sidelined in ticket distribution. “My advice was ignored in the allocation process,” he wrote in his letter, calling the situation “deeply disappointing.”
To address the growing unrest, Nitish Kumar held a two-hour strategy meeting at his official residence with key aides Sanjay Jha, Lallan Singh, and Vijay Chaudhary, seeking swift resolution from BJP counterparts. According to reports, Union Home Minister Amit Shah may visit Patna soon to calm the dispute, though the trip is yet to be officially confirmed.
