Preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar are in full swing, with political parties actively engaged in their campaigns. Recent reports indicate that discussions regarding seat distribution within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are set to commence during Navratri. Smaller constituent parties within the NDA are persistently demanding a respectable allocation of seats, leading to public statements. Efforts are underway to facilitate consensus among all the parties involved.
Seat allocation within the NDA is expected to be finalized after the Election Commission announces the schedule for the Bihar assembly elections. According to JD(U) leader KC Tyagi, discussions on seat sharing have been ongoing within the NDA during Navratri, and an announcement regarding seat distribution is expected soon.
Leaders from the smaller NDA allies, including Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Upendra Kushwaha, are seeking a significant number of seats out of the 243 seats in Bihar. These leaders have also been making public statements to this effect. The smaller NDA allies are actively vying for more seats, fearing that any further delay in seat allocation, coupled with the approaching elections, would put them under pressure to accept whatever seats the larger allies offer. Therefore, these smaller parties are using statements to demand more seats.
The rationale behind holding discussions during Navratri is to alleviate some of the concerns and uncertainties among the smaller allies regarding seat allocation. However, the larger allies, BJP and JD(U), believe that an early finalization of seat distribution could lead to infighting among the constituent parties over seat shares and increase the likelihood of candidates switching allegiances at the last moment. Consequently, finalizing the seat distribution closer to the elections would mitigate this possibility.
Sources suggest that the finalization of seat distribution among the NDA allies is expected in the last week of September or the first week of October. Responding to the demand for more seats from LJP, HAM, and RLM, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi stated that smaller parties make such statements to please their workers and increase participation. He added that all parties must make such statements to satisfy their workers and increase their participation. He expressed hope that those parties would be properly included in the NDA alliance.
According to information available, a formula for seat allocation within the NDA is almost ready, and the announcement will be made after the notification for the Bihar assembly elections. The seat distribution within the NDA will be based on the previous assembly elections, though it will be necessary to accommodate Chirag Paswan.
There is an understanding between BJP and JD(U) that both parties will contest elections on more than 100 seats each. This time, there are five parties in the NDA. After the distribution of approximately 100 seats each between the BJP and JD(U), the remaining three parties will be accommodated in the approximately forty remaining seats.