Bihar NDA's High-Stakes Seat-Sharing Blitz: The Race to Finalize for Lok Sabha 2024

The political atmosphere in Bihar is abuzz as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has significantly ramped up its crucial seat-sharing negotiations for the impending 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At the forefront of these intensified discussions is Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP's seasoned election in-charge for Bihar, who has been actively engaging with all alliance partners to forge a unified front.

Pradhan's schedule has been packed with high-stakes meetings, reflecting the urgency to iron out the finer details of seat distribution.

He held extensive discussions with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who recently rejoined the NDA, reaffirming the Janata Dal (United)'s pivotal role within the alliance. Crucially, Pradhan also met with leaders from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) faction, led by Chirag Paswan, as well as the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) headed by Pashupati Kumar Paras, highlighting the complex internal dynamics the BJP is navigating.

Adding to the flurry of consultations, the Union Minister convened with Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha.

These meetings underscore the BJP's commitment to ensuring all alliance partners, regardless of their size, receive a 'respectable' share in the seat distribution, aiming to prevent any potential dissent that could undermine their electoral prospects.

Sources close to the negotiations reveal that the BJP is keen on finalizing the seat-sharing arrangement within the next two to three days, possibly even before the Holi festival.

This swift resolution is deemed essential to provide ample time for selected candidates to launch their campaigns effectively across all constituencies. The stakes are particularly high for the NDA, especially after their stellar performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where the alliance secured an astounding 39 out of 40 seats in Bihar.

The current talks are not without their challenges, primarily revolving around the competing claims of the LJP factions led by Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Resolving this internal tussle amicably will be a key indicator of the NDA's ability to present a united and formidable challenge in the upcoming elections, aiming to replicate, if not surpass, their past electoral success in the politically crucial state of Bihar.