With the Bihar Assembly elections just around the corner, political activity in the state has reached a fever pitch. All eyes are now on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Mahagathbandhan as parties finalize their seat-sharing arrangements and announce leadership faces.

A crucial meeting of NDA partners is scheduled for today in Patna, bringing together top leaders from the BJP, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), and other allies. Reports suggest that both the BJP and JD(U) are pushing to contest 103 seats each. Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is demanding 15–18 seats, but the BJP is reportedly willing to offer only 7–8. Meanwhile, Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas) is seeking 40–50 seats, whereas the BJP has proposed around 20—a gap that has kept the alliance on tenterhooks.

Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, however, continues to maintain a determined stance. On the death anniversary of his father and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan, he reiterated his party’s election philosophy: “Every party worker will contest the elections with the commitment to work for Bihar’s development and the philosophy of ‘Bihar first, Biharis first’ in mind.” Paswan reflected on the hardships faced by his party after his father’s demise in 2020, emphasizing that he has always prioritized Bihar’s development above all.

On the opposition front, the Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) has reportedly concluded its internal seat-sharing discussions. Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani confirmed that all alliance partners are satisfied with the allocation and that the official announcement will be made at a press conference tomorrow. According to sources, the seat-sharing formula within the Mahagathbandhan is likely to be:

RJD: 125 seats

Congress: 55–57 seats

Left parties: 35 seats

VIP: 20 seats

RJP: 3 seats

JMM: 2 seats

Sahani also announced that the Mahagathbandhan would declare its Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister candidates today, with him poised to take the Deputy CM role if the alliance forms the government.

As the NDA wrestles with internal negotiations, the stage is set for a high-stakes battle in Bihar, with seat-sharing disputes, leadership announcements, and party strategies dominating the political narrative. Analysts suggest that how the NDA resolves its differences could determine the outcome of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.