NDA seat-sharing talks to take place by June-end, says Manjhi

Patna: National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners are expected to meet by late June or early July to finalise seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, HAM(S) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi said following his meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday.
Sources said the BJP was gauging public sentiment and assessing the winnability of candidates across the alliance before formalising seat-sharing agreements.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been making frequent visits to Bihar. After inaugurating the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 in Patna on May 4, he is expected to address a rally in the Shahabad region towards the end of May. BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal said the exact venue has not been finalised but suggested the rally could take place on May 30 following the Patna event.
While JD(U) has reiterated that CM Nitish Kumar remains the NDA's chief ministerial candidate, JD(U) MP Rampreet Mandal created a stir by suggesting that the BJP should name Kumar as the alliance convener as well.
Speaking about his meeting with Shah, Manjhi said, "It was my first official meeting with him at his residence. He asked about the political scenario in Bihar. I told him not to worry as the NDA will form the govt again. Since BJP's Sanjay Jaiswal had already informed me 5-6 days ago that the NDA leaders would meet by June-end or early July to discuss seat-sharing, I did not raise the issue with Shah."
Manjhi added that Shah assured him that his party's concerns, particularly regarding being sidelined during the formation of the state's 20-point programme committees, would be addressed.
Meanwhile, minor disagreements within the NDA have surfaced. Union minister Chirag Paswan, who arrived in Patna on Monday evening, sided with RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's stand that toddy should not be included in Bihar's liquor prohibition. "I am with Tejashwi's stand on the issue of toddy and do not support CM Nitish Kumar's decision," Chirag said. However, he clarified that his party, LJP (RV), remains part of the NDA at the Centre, not in Bihar.
Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary countered Tejashwi's stance, pointing out that his party was part of the govt when the liquor prohibition law was enacted.