Chirag Paswan’s camp is pressing for about 40 seats in the 243-member Assembly, insisting that his party be granted at least two seats in each of the five Lok Sabha constituencies it won in 2024. The BJP, however, is reportedly willing to offer just 20–25 seats—a gulf that has deepened cracks in NDA negotiations. Paswan has privately hinted at withdrawing from the current arrangement if his demands go unmet, according to party insiders.
Officials from the BJP’s central leadership, including Dharmendra Pradhan and Vinod Tawde, have held talks with Paswan in Delhi in a bid to mollify tensions. The BJP views LJP’s cooperation as crucial for preserving the alliance’s cohesiveness, especially in constituencies where local structures are fragile. In public, JD and Hindustani Awam Morcha leaders have asserted that talks are proceeding without disruption, attempting to project unity.
Yet the prospect of a breakaway move by LJP looms. Should seat-sharing talks collapse, Paswan is reportedly open to aligning with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party—or even having LJP contest independently in select constituencies. Kishor’s party has declared intention to fight all 243 seats, positioning itself as a disruptor of conventional alliances. LJP officials say they will keep options open: “Doors are always open in politics,” one source remarked.
Within the NDA, smaller partners are also recalibrating expectations. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, active in Bihar though primarily centred in Uttar Pradesh, has threatened to contest solo unless guaranteed seats. Its leader, Om Prakash Rajbhar, scaled back his original demand of 10-12 seats to five, signalling both eagerness to remain relevant and anxiety over being sidelined by larger coalition players.
Opposition blocs are likewise fast-tracking arrangements. The INDIA alliance is reportedly courting new entrants, such as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, to bolster its electoral arithmetic. Within the bloc, the Left has expressed discontent over seat allocations, even as RJD and Congress push for a bigger share in competitive constituencies.
The political theatre has already surged into campaign mode. LJP has announced “Chirag ka Chaupal”, a grassroots engagement initiative, and Paswan has appointed his brother-in-law Arun Bharti as election in-charge in Bihar. He has also articulated ambitions beyond assembly representation, hinting that the LJP’s demands reflect both assertive positioning and long-term ambition.