Bihar polls: Upset over NDA seat-sharing, Kushwaha rushes to Delhi; may meet Shah, Nadda

Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) national president and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha on Wednesday (October 15) rushed to Delhi, wanting to discuss his disagreement with the seat-sharing decisions within the NDA with Home Minister Amit Shah, after talks with JD(U) yielded no results.

A day earlier, JD(U) MP Ajay Kumar Mandal had offered to resign, alleging that the party leadership had denied him access to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Also Read: Prashant Kishor says he won’t contest Bihar polls: ‘Will work to strengthen party

Talks fail, Kushwaha rushes to Delhi

Speaking to reporters after landing in Delhi on Wednesday, Kushwaha said there are some issues in the alliance that need to be resolved, and that he has come to discuss those with Union Home Minister Shah. Besides Shah, Kushwaha is also expected to meet BJP national president and Union health minister JP Nadda.

"There are some issues in the alliance that need to be dissolved. We have come here to meet the Union Home Minister, and I am hopeful that every issue will be resolved," he said.

Before leaving for Delhi, a visibly disgruntled Kushwaha had told reporters that “nothing was well in the NDA”.

“I am going to Delhi. Some thought is needed on the decisions being made in the NDA. I am going there to hold discussions on the same. I’m hopeful that everything will be fine,” he told reporters in Patna.

Kushwaha is accompanied by Union Minister and BJP leader Nityanand Rai.

Bone of contention

According to party insiders, Kushwaha is not happy with the six seats allotted to his party. He is also not happy with the allocation of the Mahua seat to another NDA constituent, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), headed by Union Minister Chirag Paswan.

Efforts to convince him by senior BJP leaders in Patna failed to make any headway. On Tuesday night, senior BJP leaders, including Samrat Choudhary, Nityanand Rai, and Nitin Nabin, met Kushwaha at his Patna residence following reports that he was unhappy with the seat distribution.

JD(U), BJP assert 'all is well' within NDA

Responding to the matter, Union Minister Nityanand Rai reassured that “everything would be fine soon.” He said, “Just like Upendra ji mentioned, everything is fine and will be fine soon.”

JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha also dismissed talk of internal strife, asserting that “the NDA is united, and our goal is to form the government under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. Once the Chief Minister begins his campaign tomorrow, the atmosphere will change. There are no issues within the JD(U).”

He further emphasised that “every decision in the JD(U) is taken with Nitish Kumar’s consent. He is democratic, not autocratic.”

Also Read: Bihar polls: Dissatisfaction grows within JDU over seat-sharing; MP Ajay threatens to quit

Seat-sharing arrangement row

Earlier, soon after the NDA unveiled its seat-sharing plan for the upcoming Bihar elections, Kushwaha expressed dissatisfaction and said that his party’s allocation of six seats might disappoint many.

In a post on X on Sunday (October 12), Kushwaha wrote, “I seek your forgiveness. The number of seats could not meet your expectations. I understand that this decision will sadden thousands and millions of people, including colleagues who hoped to be our party’s candidates. However, I’m sure you understand the constraints and limitations before us.”

However, NDA leaders claimed that seat allocation among alliance partners had been settled amicably and that discussions were in the final stages. Both HAM, led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM have voiced displeasure over the arrangement.

According to the NDA’s seat-sharing arrangement for the Bihar elections BJP and JD(U) will contest in 101 seats each, 29 seats to the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and six seats each to the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular).