NDA Begins Seat-Sharing Talks for Bihar Assembly Polls, Nitish Kumar to Lead Campaign
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has formally initiated seat-sharing discussions ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, scheduled for October-November 2025. With broad consensus among allies, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar will be the face of the election campaign in the state.
The NDA coalition, comprising the BJP, JDU, Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), Lok Janshakti Party (RV), and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), is focusing on identifying and strategically allocating seats to maximize its performance. A senior BJP leader confirmed that the winnability of candidates will be the prime criterion in seat distribution. Allies are open to swapping traditional seats if another party member has a stronger chance of winning, ensuring an overall increase in the NDA’s tally.
In the 2020 assembly elections, the NDA secured 125 seats. The BJP won 71 of 110 contested seats, the JDU secured 43 of 115, HAM won 4 of 7, and VIP (then an ally) secured 4 of 11. This time, the NDA aims for a stronger performance, banking on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alongside improved coordination at both leadership and grassroots levels.
A senior JDU leader emphasized that, unlike the previous election cycle, there is now greater unity and understanding among all NDA partners, which is expected to translate into significant electoral gains.
The NDA remains committed to fighting the elections as a united, formidable coalition.
