All Well In NDA? In First List, JDU Fields Candidates On Some Seats Eyed By Chirag Paswan

Last Updated:October 15, 2025, 14:35 IST

The JD(U) named candidates from Sonbarsa, Morwa, Ekma, Rajgir, Matihani, and Gaighat — seats believed to have been on the LJP’s wishlist.

Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) bagged 29 seats in NDA fold (PTI file)

With just weeks left for the first phase of polling in Bihar, the tussle among the NDA allies appears far from resolved.

Despite several rounds of meetings and lengthy discussions, the ruling alliance finalised its seat-sharing arrangement only last week. As per the pact, the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP will contest on 101 seats each, while Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) bagged 29 seats. Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) secured six seats each.

However, tensions resurfaced soon after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU released the first list of candidates, which included several constituencies reportedly eyed by the LJP (Ramvilas).

The JD(U) named Ratnesh Sada from Sonbarsa, Vidyasagar Nishad from Morwa, Dhumal Singh from Ekma, Kaushal Kishore from Rajgir, Rajkumar Singh from Matihani, and Komal Singh from Gaighat — seats believed to have been on the LJP’s wishlist.

The LJP (Ramvilas), which contested over 130 seats independently in the 2020 Bihar Assembly election and managed to win only one, made a strong comeback in this year’s Lok Sabha polls — winning all five seats it contested. The performance helped Chirag Paswan secure a larger share of 29 seats within the NDA fold this time.

But discontent is brewing elsewhere in the alliance too. Union Minister and HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the seat distribution, declaring that his party would also field candidates from Bodh Gaya and Makhdumpur — both earmarked for Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ramvilas).

“When the decision has been made, why is someone else fielding their candidate in seats allocated to JD(U)? Agreeing with them, I too will field my candidates in Bodh Gaya and Makhdumpur. The list is ready… NDA will win with a majority," Manjhi remarked.

Saurabh Verma

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

News elections All Well In NDA? In First List, JDU Fields Candidates On Some Seats Eyed By Chirag Paswan

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