Patna: Even after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) finalized its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, internal friction continues to mar the alliance. Sources indicate that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is reportedly upset over the allocation of nine seats that the Janata Dal (United) has asked the BJP to reconsider.
According to political insiders, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Patna today (Tuesday) to resolve the ongoing dispute between the two allies, though no official confirmation has been made yet.
Nitish Unhappy With Nine Seats
Sources reveal that Nitish Kumar had earlier finalized 103 seats for the JD(U). However, the final NDA arrangement gave the party 101 seats, and the Chief Minister is unwilling to accept nine of them. Several of these disputed constituencies were reportedly allocated to Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP (R)], which has irked the JD(U) leadership.
Nitish Kumar wants the JD(U) to contest in its traditional strongholds, but these seats have been reallocated to other allies. Following the disagreement, a late-night meeting between BJP and JD(U) leaders was held at the residence of JD(U)’s acting national president Sanjay Jha, where Nitish reportedly directed his party leaders to take up the matter with BJP’s top brass.
Clash Over Sonbarsa and Rajgir Seats
Tensions between JD(U) and LJP (R) are particularly high over the Sonbarsa and Rajgir assembly seats — both reserved constituencies currently held by JD(U). The LJP (R) has reportedly staked claim to these seats under the new NDA distribution.
However, in a clear show of defiance, Nitish Kumar personally handed over the party symbol to Minister Ratnesh Sada, reaffirming his candidature from Sonbarsa. Sada is expected to file his nomination today, sending a strong message that JD(U) will not cede the seat.
JD(U) Finalizes Key Candidates
The JD(U) has also finalized several candidates for its stronghold seats. Anant Singh, known as a political strongman, will contest from Mokama, filing his nomination today. Other confirmed JD(U) candidates include Umesh Singh Kushwaha, Sunil Kumar, Shailesh Kumar, Damodar Rawat, Santosh Nirala, Siddharth Patel, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, and Ratnesh Sada.
BJP Finalizes 48 Candidates
Meanwhile, the BJP has almost completed its candidate selection process and has permitted 48 candidates to file their nominations. The party has directed 45 candidates to submit papers immediately, asserting there are no disputes over these seats.
Among prominent developments, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary will contest from Tarapur (Munger) and file his nomination on October 16 at 11 am. His brother, Rohit Chaudhary, said that around 15,000 supporters are expected to attend, with top leaders including Nitish Kumar and Yogi Adityanath likely to be present.
The BJP has also decided to replace some sitting MLAs. Patna City MLA Nand Kishore Yadav and Kumhrar MLA Arun Kumar have been denied tickets. Sanjay Gupta will contest from Kumhrar, while Ratnesh Kushwaha has emerged as the frontrunner from Patna City.
Mangal Pandey Likely to Contest from Siwan
Health Minister Mangal Pandey, currently a member of the Legislative Council, is expected to contest from Siwan on a BJP ticket.
Marathon Meetings Continue
As tensions simmer, several rounds of meetings were held on Monday—first among BJP state leaders, followed by one attended by Union Minister and election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan. Later in the night, senior BJP leaders met JDU’s Sanjay Jha to discuss unresolved seat issues.
Giriraj Singh Targets Chirag Paswan
Amid the alliance tussle, Union Minister Giriraj Singh took a veiled swipe at Chirag Paswan, saying, “Some people are talking about strike rates, but it was without them that the NDA made history in 2010.”
Singh urged workers to stay away from “feel-good politics,” adding that Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi remain the alliance’s only faces in Bihar. He recalled that in the 2010 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA had won 206 of 243 seats—with JD(U) bagging 115 of 141 (81%) and BJP 91 of 102 (89%)—a record that has not been repeated since.
Political Mood: Uneasy Unity
The current rift underscores the fragile unity within the NDA as it prepares for the high-stakes Bihar polls. While both allies publicly maintain that the alliance is strong, internal negotiations and late-night huddles reveal a different story behind closed doors.
