Bihar election 2025 seat sharing: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has announced its seat-sharing formula for the Bihar assembly elections. The alliance has allocated 101 seats to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal United (JDU)- the biggest allies. As for Chirag Paswan‘s LJP (RV), against a demand of 40, the party will be contesting elections on 29 seats. 

On the other hand, Updendra Kushwaha’s RLM and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM have got 6 seats each. The formula was announced by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after days of hectic parlays in Patna and the national capital.

It was expected that the coalition leaders would address a press conference, but instead they chose to inform the masses through social media about the formula. Leaders of NDA allies had reached Delhi on Saturday for the final round of talks as the coalition held multiple meetings in both Patna and Delhi with all the stakeholders.

Asked if he was unhappy as Hindustani Awam Morcha got six seats to contest in Bihar Elections, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said, “In Parliament, we were given only one seat—were we upset? Similarly, if we get six seats, it is the decision of the high command. We accept it and have no complaints…”

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How the 2020 NDA seat sharing looked like

In the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, the seat-sharing formula was slightly different from the announcement made on Sunday. Then, the JDU contested on 115 seats, while the BJP fought on 110 seats. But this time, both the parties have got lesser seats and would contest elections in 101 constituencies each.

Similarly, Manjhi’s HAM’s share has gone one seat down from 7  in 2020 to 6 in 2025. Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) had then contested elections alone on 134 seats. This time, with NDA, the party has got 29 seats.

Notably, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) had in 2020 fought polls with NDA on 11 seats but in 2025, it joined the opposition’s INDIA bloc.

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What next for NDA?

The nomination deadline for the first phase of Bihar elections is on October 17. The parties will have to file the nomination of the candidates contesting in the Nov 6 phase of polls. With just 5 days remaining, the NDA parties will now announce the name of candidates.

It is likely the parties have already prepared the list as the discussions during seat-sharing involved constituencies as well as possible candidates. One crucial factor of the seat distribution is the face a party will or can field from there to ensure the candidate wins the election. 

The names of candidates are expected to be out in the next two to three days.