NDA and INDIA alliance hold tense seat-sharing parleys following the Bihar election result

Last-minute demands from smaller allies in both camps threatened to sabotage negotiations and prolong talks as Bihar's two major alliances rushed Tuesday to finalize their seat-sharing arrangements for the 243-seat state assembly elections next month. The attention shifted to tense parleys in the Indian National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) camps a day after the Election Commission of India revealed the schedule for the two-phase elections on November 6 and 11. Ten days remain until the nomination deadline for the first phase of 121 seats.

Smaller allies seemed to be preparing to compete for more seats in the NDA, while the larger allies Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party seemed to be mostly in agreement. Both parties are expected to run for 102 and 101 seats, respectively.

According to a senior LJP (RV) leader who wished to remain anonymous, Union minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which had previously agreed on about 20–22 seats, was requesting at least 15 more. The leader further mentioned that Paswan has open lines of communication with Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj party, a strategist who is now a politician. "The door is never closed. In politics, there are always options," the leader declared.