By Dr. Gyan Pathak
As the seat sharing process progressed for the Bihar Legislative Assembly Election, the overconfident BJP leadership fell in love with LJP(RV), one of its allies in the NDA. It has been resented by three of the five NDA allies – the JD(U), RLM, and HAM. While the major ally JD(U) conveyed its objections refraining for making any public statement against the seat-sharing, RLM and HAM have publicly expressed their displeasure, giving clear message against the BJP to their respective support bases. Though the BJP has immediately started firefighting, the political damage has already been done, which is sure to impact the outcome of November state polls.
The announcement of the seat-sharing deal by the ruling NDA in Bihar is thus clearly the decision of the BJP, on which none of its allies agreed, barring the chief beneficiary Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Chirag Paswan who has been given 29 seats to contest.
Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) have expressed their displeasure over the allocation of seats to LJP(RV) on October 15 calling it “disproportionate”. Such a public criticism forced the NDA to undergo a renegotiation process over several of the seats within three days of its announcement.
In the outgoing Bihar Vidhan Sabha, LJP(RV) has not even a single seat, but got 29 to contest, only due to BJP’s new found love for the party. LJP had contested 2020 Vidhan Sabha election independently. LJP had won one seat and it was runner up in 5 seats. Later the lone LJP MLA defected to JD(U).
LJP was split up in 2021, when Pashupati Nath Paras walked away with four of the five MPs of the party, and joined hands with the BJP. Chirag Paswan was utterly ignored by the BJP at that time.
Situation has changed now. Chirag Paswan is now in alliance with BJP, and his uncle Pashupati Nath Paras, has joined the INDIA bloc, which is called Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. LJP(RV) had contested Lok Sabha Election 2024 as part of NDA and won 5 seats. The outcome in favour of Chirag Paswan was impressive, though JD(U) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been initially opposed to Chirag to be admitted in NDA.
BJP has clearly been downgrading the importance of CM Nitish Kumar in the NDA, and pushing forward Chirag Paswan with a clear preference. Neither CM Nitish Kumar, nor JD(U) leaders are happy with this changed attitude of the BJP leadership, but then the party has no option but to reconcile with this. Nitish had deserted the INDIA bloc just before Lok Sabha election 2024, and has suffered his credibility with the epithet of “Paltu Ram” (someone who frequently changes sides). BJP goes on humiliating Nitish Kumar in each of its political moves in Bihar. Nevertheless, JD(U) has still been refraining from any public criticism of BJP, which have been regularly conveying its displeasure to the BJP leadership.
JD(U) has sitting MLAs on Sonbarsa and Rajgir seats. MLA from Sonbarsa, Ratnesh Sada is a close associate of CM Nitish Kumar and has been winning the seat since 2010. Chirag Pawan has claimed this seat for his party. As for Rajgir is concerned, JD(U) has been winning this seat for the last two terms, in addition to its being CM Nitish Kumar’s home turf. JD(U) in no way is willing to give these seats to LJP(RV), and Chirag was forced to forego his claim.
JD(U) has been suffering from groupism in the party, and one group of senior party leaders has been allowing the BJP leadership to dictate terms. CM Nitish Kumar has conveyed his displeasure and asked his party leaders not to do this. He has been reportedly angry with some of his party leaders who have been undermining the party in BJP’s interest.
RLM and HAM leaderships have been publicly criticizing the one-sided seat-sharing declaration by the BJP. “This time nothing is well with the NDA,” said RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha. He made this remark just after a closed-door meeting with the BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Union Minister Nityanand Rai.
The reason of Kushwaha’s anger was that against his will Dinara and Mahua seats were given to LJP(RV). He rushed to Delhi to meet BJP president JP Nadda and Union Minister of Home Amit Shah, and reportedly got assurance of a cabinet berth and another term in the Rajya Sabha for himself, and a berth in Bihar Legislative Council, in exchange of the two seats for his party. “There is no longer any confusion,” Kushwaha said. The issue has thus been settled by evening of October 15.
Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi was angry over LJP(RV)’s announcement of fielding candidates on the seats allocated to other alliance partners. He referred to the example of the JD(U) seats of Sonbarsa and Rajgir, and justified the anger of CM Nitish Kumar.
HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi said, “Nitish Kumarji’s anger is justified. I agree with him. When the decision has been made, why is someone else fielding their candidates in the seats allocated to the JD(U)? I too will field my candidates in Bodhgaya and Makdumpur.” It should be noted that LJP(RV) has claimed both the seats. Jitan Ram Manjhi had won Makdumpur in 2010.
The deep distrust among the NDA allies is in the open. JD(U) has refused the Matihani seat to LJP(RV) which LJP had won in 2020 but the MLA later had defected to JD(U). CM Nitish had been demanding at least one seat more than BJP, but has to agree on contesting 101 seats, which is equal to the seats BJP is contesting. RLM and HAM have been given 6 seats each. Nevertheless, NDA allies are preparing to field their candidates against each other in some of the seats. BJP is still in firefighting mode to pacify all its allies. (IPA Service)
