NDA in talks to add more parties, one each in Bihar and UP

Gearing up for 2024 polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party is continuing with the process of expanding the National Democratic Alliance by reaching out to parties such as Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) in Bihar and Mahan Dal in Uttar Pradesh.

"Two leaders of BJP from Bihar are in talks with Mukesh Sahani-led VIP. Sahani had partnered BJP during the last Lok Sabha polls. Similarly, BJP has also reached out to Mahan Dal," according to party insiders.

BJP has a huge vote share in Uttar Pradesh and a decent percentage in Bihar, but there is space for sub regional players to consolidate the ruling alliance in the two states, they said.


NDA has 38 parties, but several of them have not won a single Lok Sabha seat since inception. They include 10 parties that did not contest the last Lok Sabha polls and 15 despite contesting do not have an MP in either House of Parliament.

NDA's expansion came as 26 Opposition parties projected a united front. BJP convened a meeting of NDA, which had appeared defunct after founding members Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena left in the last few years.

Political observers suggest that the BJP realised the need to rejuvenate NDA after opposition parties came together to contest the 2024 polls. They doubt the percentage of votes would be exponential to the expansion of NDA. Despite the buzz of SAD and TDP returning, nothing concrete has come out yet. JDS has, meanwhile, decided to work together with BJP in the Karnataka assembly. Its chance of an electoral understanding too is bleak, given 'catchment area' of Deve Gowda's party.