Bihar Elections LIVE: Tejashwi Yadav likely to meet Rahul Gandhi today to finalise seat-sharing deal

Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 LIVE Updates: It is expected that the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance may announce the seat-sharing pact on Monday following days of deliberations.

Patna:  Following days of deliberation, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised the seat-sharing pact, with the ruling alliance announcing that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would contest on 101 seats each. As per the formula that has been derived, smaller allies such as Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) would contest on six seats each. Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) - which contested the 2020 Bihar elections separately - seems to be biggest gainer after the alliance allocated it 29 seats. 

While the NDA has finalised the seat-sharing pact, the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance has not been able to arrive on a consensus over it yet, with Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) showing its reluctance in giving more seats to its smaller allies like Congress and Mukesh Sahani's Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). However, it is expected that the alliance may declare its seat-sharing pact on Sunday. 
RJD sources, quoted by news agency PTI, said: "Our mind is made up. We will keep for ourselves not less than half of the 243 seats. Compared with 2020, when we contested more than 140 seats, that is still somewhat of a sacrifice to accommodate new allies. It is not just for the Congress, but for all smaller parties to realise that there is a need to keep vaulting ambitions in check. Only then can a credible challenge be posed to the ruling NDA."

After days of deliberations, away from the heat and dust of poll-bound Bihar, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday announced its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming elections to the 243-member Bihar Assembly. As per the arrangement, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will each contest 101 seats, while the remaining constituencies have been allocated to the alliance’s smaller partners. Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who leads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)  will contest 29 seats this time. Meanwhile, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), headed by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, led by Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha, have each been allotted six seats. Click here to read more.