Bihar Polls: BJP, JDU to Contest 101 Seats Each
Modi to launch poll campaign from Wednesday
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] will contest 101 seats each in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, while Union minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP(RV)] will field candidates in 29 constituencies, Union minister and BJP’s Bihar poll in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Sunday.
In a post on X, Pradhan said that Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)] and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will contest six seats each. He added that the seat-sharing arrangement among the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners was completed amicably, expressing confidence that Bihar was “ready for another NDA government.”
The announcement came as the BJP’s Central Election Committee, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior party leaders, met in New Delhi to finalise candidates for the polls.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi will launch the BJP’s election campaign in Bihar on Wednesday with an interactive session under the Mera Booth, Sabse Majboot initiative. “Our dedicated workers are working with full energy to ensure BJP-NDA’s victory in Bihar. Interacting with such committed workers always provides new inspiration,” the Prime Minister posted on X, inviting suggestions from party workers.
The BJP-led NDA, comprising the JD(U), LJP(RV), HAM(S), and RLM, will face the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress, Left parties, and smaller regional outfits. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM are also contesting independently.
The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting scheduled for November 14.
Party sources said that while the JD(U) had reached an agreement with the BJP earlier, negotiations with other allies were protracted. Leaders such as Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Upendra Kushwaha reportedly pressed for more seats, with Paswan managing to secure a larger share than initially proposed.