New Delhi. An agreement has been reached on seat sharing for the upcoming elections in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. Bharatiya Janata Party, JDU Lok Janshakti Party, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party officially announced this on Monday, March 18. Under the agreement, BJP will contest elections on 17 out of total 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. This establishes the BJP as the key player in the alliance. Meanwhile, JDU will contest on 16 seats, LJP on 5 seats, HAM on 1 seat and RLSP on 1 seat.
BJP will contest elections here:
1. West Champaran
2. East Champaran
3. Aurangabad
4.Madhubani
5. Araria
6.Darbhanga
7. Muzaffarpur
8. Maharajganj
9. Saran
10. Ujiarpur
11.Begusarai
12. Nawada
13.Patna Sahib
14. Pataliputra
15. Jigsaw
16.Buxar
17. Sasaram
JD(U) will contest elections here:
1. Valmiki Nagar
2.Sitamarhi
3. Jhanjharpur
4. Supaul
5. Kishanganj
6.Katihar
7. Purnia
8. Madhepura
9. Gopalganj
10. Siwan
11.Bhagalpur
12. Dandy
13.Munger
14.Nalanda
15. Jehanabad
16. Shivhar
Under the leadership of Chirag Paswan, LJP will contest elections in Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui constituencies. HAM will contest from Gaya seat, while RLSP will contest from Karakat seat.
The seat-sharing announcement marks a strategic shift since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. For example, the Nawada constituency, which earlier belonged to the RLSP, has now been allotted to the BJP. Similarly, JD(U) has secured Sheohar constituency, which was earlier won by BJP.
The seat sharing has intensified speculation about the political future of Chirag Paswan’s uncle and Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras. No seat has been allotted to him in this system. However, Bihar BJP President and Deputy CM Sushil Modi expressed confidence in the strength of NDA and said that their aim is to win all 40 seats. Reportedly talks are going on with Pashupati Kumar Paras.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, NDA won 39 out of 40 seats in Bihar. BJP and JDU had contested on 17 seats each, while RLSP had contested on 6 seats.