Published on: Oct 15, 2025 | 10:48 AM IST

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar continues to grapple with internal discord ahead of the 2025 assembly elections, as Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha travels to New Delhi on Wednesday to meet Union home minister Amit Shah over mounting dissatisfaction with the seat-sharing formula.

Kushwaha, accompanied by Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai, left Patna this morning to discuss unresolved issues related to seat allocation and last-minute seat-swapping within the NDA fold.

Speaking to reporters at Patna airport, Kushwaha said, “I am going to Delhi. Some thought needs to go into the decisions that are being made in the NDA. I am going to Delhi to hold talks on the same. I’m hopeful that everything will be fine.”

Rai, echoing similar optimism, said, “Just like Upendra ji has said, everything is fine and everything will be fine soon.”

However, beneath the conciliatory tone lies clear tension among NDA partners — BJP, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) — over the final seat allocation.

The seat-sharing breakdown

As per the finalized arrangement, BJP and JD(U) will each contest 101 seats, LJP (RV) on 29, and RLM and HAM(S)on six seats each. But the announcement has triggered a series of objections from nearly all alliance partners except the BJP.

The Mahua constituency has emerged as the latest flashpoint between RLM and LJP (RV). Kushwaha’s party is eyeing the seat, reportedly to field his son, while LJP (RV) had already shortlisted candidates for 27 of its 29 constituencies. Sources said Amit Shah had instructed Chirag Paswan to keep Mahua and one other seat on hold pending further discussions.

Discontent across NDA partners

This isn’t the only sign of friction. Earlier this week, Kushwaha, who was en route to Sasaram, abruptly returned to Patna after learning about the final seat distribution. His dissatisfaction prompted a series of emergency meetings with BJP leaders in the state. However, his demands reportedly remained unmet, forcing Shah’s direct intervention.

Adding to the rift, JD(U) chief minister Nitish Kumar has also objected to what he views as encroachment on his party’s traditional strongholds. He has reportedly opposed the allocation of Sonbarsa and Rajgir seats to LJP (RV). Despite the NDA’s official list marking Sonbarsa for Paswan’s party, Nitish Kumar re-nominated JD(U) MLA Ratnesh Sada, indicating his unwillingness to relinquish the seat.

Meanwhile, HAM(S) leader and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has expressed similar displeasure over being allotted only six seats. In a veiled criticism aimed at Chirag Paswan, Manjhi remarked, “When the seat-sharing has already been decided, why are others fielding candidates on JD(U) seats? If that’s the case, I too will field my own candidates from Bodh Gaya and Makhdumpur.”

BJP’s balancing act

The BJP, which anchors the alliance, has been trying to manage the competing demands of its allies to project unity ahead of the elections. Party insiders say Shah’s meeting with Kushwaha today is part of a broader effort to contain the friction before it spirals into open rebellion.

“Seat-sharing exercises are always complex in Bihar’s caste-driven political landscape. The BJP wants all its allies to remain on board, especially since every bloc brings its own caste arithmetic and local influence,” said a senior NDA strategist.

Political observers, however, point out that the recurring discontent mirrors the NDA’s internal instability in Bihar, which has faced multiple splits and reconfigurations over the past decade.

The stakes in Bihar

Bihar’s 243-member assembly will go to polls later this year, in what is expected to be a high-stakes multi-cornered contest between the NDA, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, and the Left-Congress combine.

While the NDA hopes to capitalise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and Nitish Kumar’s administrative record, internal squabbles over seat distribution threaten to undermine its campaign momentum.

For Upendra Kushwaha, the outcome of his meeting with Amit Shah could determine not only his party’s electoral relevance but also his personal political standing within the alliance.

A senior BJP leader from Patna summed it up: “The NDA will fight together, but it’s clear that every partner is fighting its own battle for survival.”