Bihar Elections 2025: NDA Finalises Seat-Sharing, BJP And JDU To Contest 101 Seats Each, Chirag Paswan Gets 29 Seats

New Delhi: After days of uncertainty, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday announced the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. According to the announcement made by Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tawde, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United) (JDU) will contest 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest 6 seats each.

The NDA's decision to contest the elections together comes after intense discussions between the leaders of the alliance partners. The seat-sharing formula, accepted by the NDA allies, is a big political development in the lead-up to the elections, which are scheduled to take place on November 6 and November 11 in two phases. The votes will be counted on November 14.

NDA Leaders Confident Of Victory

The NDA leaders are confident of victory in the upcoming elections. Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan said that "Bihar is ready" and the NDA government is all set to form the government in the state with a complete majority. "Bihar is ready -- Once again, an NDA government, this time with full strength alongside #BiharFirstBihariFirst!" he tweeted.

Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has expressed his satisfaction with the seat-sharing arrangement. "In the Parliament, we were given only one seat, were we upset? Similarly, if we got only 6 seats, it is the decision of the high command. We accept it... We are content with what we have been given. I have no complaints," Manjhi said.

The NDA's confidence is also reflected in the statement made by JDU leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, who said that the public has made up its mind that under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the NDA is heading towards a major victory.

Opposition Parties Also Gear Up For Elections

The opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, are also gearing up for the elections. RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son, Tejashwi Yadav, arrived in Delhi ahead of their meeting with Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on seat sharing in the Mahagathbandhan.

Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh stated that the seat allocation is nearly finalised. He added that while some last-minute difficulties are common among all parties, these issues will be resolved, and the alliance will take shape soon. "Everything will be announced in one or two days..." he said.

The upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar will also see the entry of a new player in the form of Prashant Kishor and his Jan Suraaj Party. The elections will be a test of strength for all the parties, including the new players. The party has already released its first list of candidates, featuring several notable names.

2025 Bihar Election Schedule

The Election Commission has declared the poll schedule for the 243-member Bihar Assembly. Polling will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, while counting of votes will take place on November 14. The announcement has set the stage for a fierce electoral battle between the NDA and the INDI Alliance. 

Current Bihar Assembly Composition

In the current Bihar Assembly, comprising 243 members, the NDA consists of 131 members, with the BJP having 80 MLAs, JD(U) having 45, HAM having 4, and the support of 2 independent candidates. The Opposition's INDI Alliance comprises 111 members, with the RJD leading with 77 MLAs, followed by the Congress with 19, the CPI(ML) with 11, the CPI(M) with 2, and the CPI with 2.