The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has unveiled its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming elections, and the message is unmistakable: the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), is no longer the dominant force. For the first time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stands as an equal partner.
Both the JD(U) and the BJP will vie for 101 seats each in the 243-member Assembly. Historically, JD(U) has consistently contested more seats, proudly positioning itself as the ‘bada bhai’ (elder brother) to the BJP’s ‘chhota bhai’ (younger sibling) in Bihar’s political landscape.
Since the 2010 Assembly elections, the JD(U) and its leader, Nitish Kumar, have consistently led the NDA coalition, with the exception of 2015 when Kumar temporarily joined the Mahagathbandhan. He later rejoined forces with the BJP. However, this election marks a historic moment: despite his perceived leadership, Mr. Kumar will share equal footing with the BJP in terms of seat allocation.
Adding to the political intrigue, the Chief Minister’s health has become a prominent topic of public discussion and voter concern.
“While the JD(U) has commendably advanced the state’s development and maintained law and order, the Chief Minister’s declining health makes many of us hesitant to support his continued tenure. It’s time for the BJP to step up and lead,” commented Prem Prakash, a migrant worker from Motihari, East Champaran.
Prakash, 34, employed at a sportswear factory in Ludhiana, Punjab, returned home early for the festive season with his friends to cast their votes. Speaking by phone, he expressed admiration for Nitish Kumar’s work but emphasized, “He’s getting old; it’s time he retires and allows new leadership to emerge.”
Meanwhile, the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), another NDA ally, has secured 29 seats. Political observers are questioning whether JD(U) voters will truly support Paswan, given his pivotal role in the defeat of numerous JD(U) candidates in the 2020 Assembly elections, which limited their seat count to just 43.
Patna-based political analyst Nawal Kishore Choudhary noted, “The cordial relationship between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Chirag Paswan has not yet returned to its former strength.”
Paswan had initially sought a minimum of 30 seats for the Assembly elections, citing his party’s five Lok Sabha MPs. In Bihar, each parliamentary constituency typically encompasses about six Assembly segments.
“The JD(U) has shown considerable leniency towards Mr. Paswan. But the real question is, will voters actually support LJP (RV) candidates?” asked Ravi Shankar Singh Ashok. He recently resigned from the LJP (RV) to run as an independent candidate for the Suryagarha Assembly seat in Lakhisarai district.
Prem Prakash also weighed in on Prashant Kishor, a new political figure in the state who positions himself as a third alternative. While Prakash finds Kishor’s discourse compelling, he stated, “We’ll hold off on voting for him until he proves his credibility. What if he simply disappears after the elections, having made grand promises?” This sentiment reflects a widespread skepticism regarding the Jan Suraaj Party’s (JSP) reliability.
This skepticism was exacerbated when, after the release of JSP’s second candidate list in Patna on Monday, frustrated ticket-seekers—many claiming long-term association with the party—caused an uproar. They alleged that tickets were exchanged for money, and Mr. Kishor was reportedly escorted out of the event.
Meanwhile, for Prakash and his friends, the grand alliance, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), continues to be haunted by memories of the previous regime’s alleged lawlessness.
Political analyst Nawal Kishore Choudhary suggested that if the RJD adopted a strategy similar to Akhilesh Yadav’s in Uttar Pradesh—by offering fewer tickets to Yadav candidates—it could potentially shed the negative perceptions of past lawlessness. He highlighted that the Samajwadi Party’s PDA (Pichre, Dalit, Alpashankhak – Backward, Dalit, Minority) strategy could enable the RJD to move beyond its traditional Muslim-Yadav identity and appeal to a broader electorate.