Tension has escalated within the NDA over seat-sharing for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. Upendra Kushwaha has demanded 24 seats for his party, creating strategic challenges and confusion within the alliance.
Bihar Election 2025: Political activity has intensified in Bihar ahead of the 2025 Assembly Elections. Tension over seat-sharing within the NDA alliance is growing. This time, Upendra Kushwaha, president of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLJD), has demanded at least 24 seats. His move has created a state of confusion within the alliance. BJP and JDU are considering this demand, intensifying discussions on the seat-sharing strategy.
Upendra Kushwaha's Seat Demand
Kushwaha has demanded 24 crucial seats for his party. Prominent among these seats are Ujiarpur, Mahua, Dinara, Madhubani, Sasaram, Obra, Kurtha, Sheikhpura, Goh, Sultanganj, and Bajpatti. Kushwaha states that his party, given its b presence in several regions of Bihar, should receive a fair share within the NDA.
Recently, Kushwaha held a meeting with BJP's Bihar election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, national secretary Rituraj Sinha, and Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde. During the meeting, in-depth discussions were held on seat-sharing and alliance strategy.
Increased Tension in NDA
Kushwaha's demand has created an atmosphere of tension within the NDA. Disputes regarding the seats of Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan were already ongoing. Kushwaha's demand for 24 seats has added further confusion to the alliance. While no leader is openly commenting on the issue yet, discussions have certainly begun within the BJP.
It should be noted that the objective behind Kushwaha's significant demand is to exert political pressure and secure tickets for at least 10 to 12 influential seats. This would strengthen his party's political base and increase its representation in the assembly.
Kushwaha's Performance in Previous Elections
Looking at Upendra Kushwaha's past electoral record, his performance has not been satisfactory. In 2015, he was with the NDA, while JDU was part of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). Kushwaha was given the opportunity to contest on 23 seats, but only two candidates managed to win.
In 2020, Kushwaha separated from the NDA and fielded candidates on 99 seats. This time too, his performance was poor, and the party failed to open its account. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kushwaha contested only from the Karakat seat but also faced defeat.
