The tug-of-war over seats between the NDA and the Grand Alliance for the Bihar Assembly elections in 2025 has heated up the political atmosphere. Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi are seeking more seats. The mathematics of the alliance will now determine the electoral strategy.
Bihar Election 2025: Preparations for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections are in full swing. This time, the focus of the elections is not only on the strength of the parties but also on the mathematics of their alliances and seat-sharing. Smaller allies of the NDA, such as Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Jitan Ram Manjhi of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), are now seeking more than a supporting role and are demanding their share. They have stated that if their demands are not met, it could affect the unity of the NDA and lead to losses for them.
This challenge for the NDA is not limited to seat-sharing. The larger party must ensure that smaller allies do not become disgruntled, which could benefit the Grand Alliance in the elections. In such a scenario, the complexity of alliances is once again coming to the fore in Bihar politics, and political observers consider this to be the biggest challenge for the 2025 elections.
Chirag Paswan's Demand: A Claim for 40 Seats and a Warning
After winning five Lok Sabha seats in 2024, Chirag Paswan has now expressed his intention to play an active role in the assembly elections as well. According to political analysts, he has demanded 40 seats out of the 243 constituencies. He has stated that if his demands are not met, he may consider parting ways with the NDA and preparing to contest all 243 seats alone.
However, Chirag Paswan has also clarified that his association with the NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue. In recent weeks, Chirag has signaled through the media that he wants to prioritize his issues in the electoral strategy. His demand has become a challenge for the NDA to maintain balance.
Jitan Ram Manjhi's Stance: Will Not Accept Fewer Seats
Jitan Ram Manjhi, the chief of the HAM, an NDA ally, is also not holding back in seat-sharing negotiations. He has expressed a desire for more seats in Gaya and Aurangabad, where his party has a b local base. He has stated that it will be difficult for the NDA to achieve victory without his support.
According to political analysts, ignoring Manjhi's demands could be risky for the NDA. It could strain the alliance's relationships within the party and benefit the opposition parties in the elections. Therefore, the NDA must maintain the strength of the alliance while satisfying its allies.
NDA's Challenge
The biggest challenge for the NDA in this election is to fulfill the demands of its smaller allies while also maintaining its political unity. If the smaller parties decide to contest separately due to unfulfilled demands, the NDA could face losses in terms of seats and vote bank.
According to political analysts, alliance politics in Bihar has always been complex. The displeasure of smaller parties can pose a serious challenge to the NDA's electoral strategy. Therefore, special attention to seat-sharing and alliance strategy is essential this time.
Grand Alliance's Preparations
On the other hand, the Grand Alliance is also preparing to enter the fray with full force for the 2025 assembly elections. This includes the Congress, RJD, and other allied parties. The Grand Alliance is focusing particularly on the youth and the Muslim-Yadav vote bank this time.
Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav recently organized a Voter Rights Yatra to convey their message to the public. They claim that the people of Bihar want change and are hopeful that young voters will cast their votes in favor of the Grand Alliance. Furthermore, the Grand Alliance can also leverage the potential dissatisfaction among NDA allies for its electoral gain.
