Patna: Despite the seat-sharing formula being finalized for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, political tensions within the NDA alliance are showing no signs of abating.
National Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha is reportedly unhappy with the allocation of the Mahua Assembly seat to the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), leading to a high-voltage political drama in Patna on Tuesday night.
BJP Leaders Rush to Kushwaha’s Residence
According to sources, several senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Nityanand Rai, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Minister Nitin Naveen, and senior party leader Rituraj Sinha, visited Kushwaha’s residence late at night.
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The meeting, which reportedly continued until 4 am, failed to yield any concrete resolution. During the meeting, leaders also held discussions with other NDA constituents over the phone, but the situation remained largely unchanged.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Kushwaha made his displeasure clear, stating, “Nothing is well in the NDA.” His comments indicate that internal discord within the alliance is deepening, raising questions about the stability of Bihar’s ruling coalition ahead of the elections.
Urgent RLM meeting today
Amid this political upheaval, Kushwaha has convened an emergency meeting of his RLM party on Wednesday. Scheduled for 12:30 pm, the meeting will be attended by all senior leaders and office-bearers of the party. It is widely expected that discussions will focus on the party’s forthcoming electoral strategy, and Kushwaha may address the media with a major announcement.
Seat-Sharing Sparks Controversy
The NDA had formally announced its seat-sharing arrangement on Sunday. The JD(U) and BJP are set to contest 101 seats each, while LJP (Ram Vilas) has been allocated 29 seats, and ‘HAM’ along with RLM have been given just six seats each.
This allocation has reportedly angered Kushwaha, who had initially demanded 24 seats for his party, while Jitan Ram Manjhi had sought 15.
Following this, Kushwaha had posted an emotional message on social media, apologizing to party workers. He wrote, “We could not secure the seats you hoped for. Perhaps many households went without proper meals. But there are circumstances that are not visible to all.”
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Potential Rift in NDA
Kushwaha’s growing discontent, coupled with the visible unease among BJP leaders, signals that not everything is smooth within the NDA in Bihar.
Should Kushwaha decide to part ways with the alliance, it could significantly alter the electoral dynamics in the state. Political watchers believe that the coming hours could bring a major turning point in Bihar’s pre-election scenario.