Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: NDA seat-sharing talks drag on as smaller allies stake claim on important seats

With nominations for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections already underway, the BJP has stepped up efforts to finalise seat-sharing with allies and prepare its first list of candidates.

The party on Friday signalled that the NDA alliance remains intact and "everyone has been accommodated." However, RLP leader Upendra Kushwaha denied that a deal had been finalised. "Don't pay attention to rumours... the talks are not yet concluded," he posted on X.

While the BJP had initially planned to announce the seat-sharing arrangement on Saturday, differences with smaller allies over a few key constituencies - including some claimed by the BJP and JDU - have pushed the announcement to Sunday. Leaders of all NDA allies have been asked to reach Delhi for the final round of discussions.


According to BJP leaders, broad agreement has been reached, barring a handful of seats where multiple allies are staking claims. On Saturday evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda met HAM leader and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, his son Santosh Suman and Upendra Kushwaha at Nadda's residence. Meetings with LJP chief Chirag Paswan was also scheduled later in the night.

Meanwhile, JDU held a strategy meeting at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence earlier in the day to discuss its list of candidates. Later, JDU working president Sanjay Jha and Union Minister Lalan Singh left for Delhi to participate in the final seat-sharing talks.

Parallel to alliance negotiations, the BJP accelerated its candidate selection process. The Bihar BJP core group met at Nadda's residence in Delhi to finalise a shortlist of party nominees, which will be placed before the Central Election Committee (CEC) on Sunday.