BJP firefights amid discord over NDA seat-sharing pact

After a high-voltage drama over seat allotment, BJP and JD(U) leaders went into damage-control mode. “It is a rumour floated by our rivals because they know they will lose at the ground level. The CM is happy and will be campaigning for NDA candidates,” said Sanjay Jha, national working president of the JD(U).

Union Minister and Bihar in-charge Dharamendra Pradhan held a brief press conference and stressed that the seat-sharing arrangement had been decided. “About 99% of the seats have been finalised. Talks among allies are on and the matter will be resolved very soon,” he said.

On Monday night, CM Nitish Kumar had called an emergency meeting of his core group to express strong resentment over seats having sitting JD(U) MLAs or strong performers, but were allocated to the LJP. He asked Sanjay Jha to hold talks on the issue and said the current seat-sharing formula was “unacceptable”. Talks between BJP and JD(U) leaders continued past midnight but remained inconclusive.

“Obviously, the CM spoke to central BJP leaders himself and the matter was smoothened, otherwise Amit Shah would have flown to Patna on Tuesday,” said a senior BJP leader. However, resentment within the JD(U) over Chirag Paswan getting “more than he deserved” still persists.

Earlier, a two-hour meeting was held between the CM and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary. Emerging from the meeting, Choudhary said everything was fine. However, the joint press conference of the NDA did not take place. Source said the final seat distribution would largely remain the same, but the JD(U) was expected to retain at least five seats it was demanding, while Chirag Paswan’s LJP would get five others.

Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan maintained a virtual status quo. VIP founder Mukesh Sahni, who returned from Delhi on Monday night, said the picture would become clear within a day or two. A few RJD candidates have already filed their nomination papers and the CPI-ML has allotted symbols to 18 of its candidates. Tejashwi Yadav is expected to file his nomination on Wednesday.

Surprise omission

The BJP on Tuesday announced a list of 71 candidates, retaining around 80 per cent of its sitting MLAs while dropping about 10. The most surprising omission was that of Assembly Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav, who has won seven consecutive terms from the Patna Saheb seat. “I have no complaints against the party leadership. It’s time for younger leaders to step forward,” Yadav said.

Not everyone took the decision as gracefully. Supporters of BJP minister Ram Surat Rai stormed the party office in protest, raising slogans against Union Minister Nityanand Rai, accusing him of role in ticket denial to Rai. Interestingly, former Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav has been fielded from the Danapur Assembly seat. Ram Kripal had twice defeated Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti from Patliputra before losing to her in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Since the BJP-JD(U) alliance was formed in 1996, there has been an unwritten understanding. The BJP caters to upper-caste voters, while the JD(U) focuses on the backward classes. This time, however, there is an emphasis on Kushwaha voters. The list includes seven Kushwaha candidates, including Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who will contest from Tarapur. The move is seen as a corrective measure after a section of Kushwaha voters shifted to the RJD alliance in the last Lok Sabha polls, costing the NDA at least five seats. The JD(U) too is expected to field several Kushwaha candidates, matching the Mahagathbandhan’s strategy.

End of road for veterans?

The exclusion of Nand Kishor Yadav marks the end of an era when he, late Sushil Kumar Modi and Prem Kumar dominated the Bihar BJP from 1995 to 2020. The only veteran to survive is Prem Kumar, an eight-term MLA from Gaya, who has been renominated due to his strong local hold. The party has otherwise leaned toward younger faces such as former Congress MLA Sidharth Saurav and Sanjay Gupta, who replaces Arun Sinha in the Kumhrar seat. Younger generation leaders like Nitin Navin and Sanjeev Chaurasia have been retained, while another veteran, Amrendra Pratap Singh from Ara, has been replaced by the younger Sanjay Singh.

Rebellion brews in JD(U)

Outside the CM’s residence, JD(U) MLA Gopal Mandal sat on a dharna protesting the denial of a ticket. The police later removed him and his supporters. Mandal accused the party of being “taken over by unscrupulous elements.” Similarly, Bhagalpur JD(U) MP Ajay Mahto released a letter addressed to CM Nitish Kumar, offering to resign from Parliament and alleging that certain individuals were weakening the party and that he felt helpless to protect the Chief Minister.