Patna: Following its poor performance in the 2020 assembly elections and the 2024 LS polls in south Bihar, NDA's seat-sharing arrangement reflects its new political strategies for the Shahabad region.
In the 2025 assembly polls, NDA faces a tough task to regain its lost ground in this region, which includes 22 seats in Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur and Rohtas districts. Of these 22 seats, NDA could win only two seats -- Ara and Barahara in Bhojpur district -- in the 2020 assembly polls. This was the region in which Magathbandhan's allies RJD, Congress and CPI (ML) performed well. While the BJP and JDU had contested 11 and 10 seats respectively, one seat was allotted to VIP.
NDA received a setback in this region after facing defeat in all the four LS seats -- Ara, Buxar, Karakat and Sasaram -- in the 2024 parliamentary elections. While CPI (ML) bagged Ara and Karakat, Buxar was won by RJD. Congress won the Sasaram seat.
The NDA has tried to correct its socio-political equations by accommodating its two allies --the LJP (R) and RLM -- in its seat-sharing arrangement. Both were not part of NDA in the 2020 assembly polls. NDA has allocated three assembly seats -- Dehri & Chenari (Rohtas district) and Brahampur in Buxar district for LJP(R). Two seats -- Sasaram and Dinara -- went to RLM.
This is for the first time that BJP is not contesting any of the seven seats in Rohtas district. In the 2020 assembly elections, BJP contested two seats -- Dehri and Karakat. JDU, which had got five seats in the last assembly elections, is contesting only three seats in Rohtas district.
The NDA's decision to contest only 17 seats in Shahabad region has much to do with its fresh attempts to woo OBC voters, particularly Kushwaha and SCs, with the help of RLM and LJP (R).
The obvious reason is Mahagathbandhan's ally CPI(ML) which has its own influence over the Kushwaha and SC voters in this region. CPI (ML)'s success in bagging two LS seats -- Ara and Karakat -- in the last parliamentary election has alerted the NDA.
Kaimur district also witnessed a new experiment on the part of the NDA to correct its social equations. NDA could not win a single seat in Kaimur district which has four assembly seats. While three seats -- Bhabhua, Mohania and Ramgarh -- were won by RJD, BSP won Chainpur. Later, BJP won the Ramgarh seat, vacated by Sudhakar Singh after his victory in the LS polls as RJD nominee from Buxar.
Bharat Bind and Sangeeta Kumari, who were elected to the assembly on RJD ticket from Bhabhua and Mohania, joined the BJP. Now they are BJP's nominees from the same seats. Chainpur MLA Zama Khan, who won as BSP nominee in 2020 assembly polls, joined the JDU and is now a JDU nominee from Chainpur.
In Bhojpur, BJP and JDU fielded candidates on five and two seats, respectively. NDA has reasons to correct its social equations by projecting LJP (R) and RLM in this district. CPI (ML) has tried to revive its old base in this district.
In the 2025 assembly polls, NDA faces a tough task to regain its lost ground in this region, which includes 22 seats in Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur and Rohtas districts. Of these 22 seats, NDA could win only two seats -- Ara and Barahara in Bhojpur district -- in the 2020 assembly polls. This was the region in which Magathbandhan's allies RJD, Congress and CPI (ML) performed well. While the BJP and JDU had contested 11 and 10 seats respectively, one seat was allotted to VIP.
NDA received a setback in this region after facing defeat in all the four LS seats -- Ara, Buxar, Karakat and Sasaram -- in the 2024 parliamentary elections. While CPI (ML) bagged Ara and Karakat, Buxar was won by RJD. Congress won the Sasaram seat.
The NDA has tried to correct its socio-political equations by accommodating its two allies --the LJP (R) and RLM -- in its seat-sharing arrangement. Both were not part of NDA in the 2020 assembly polls. NDA has allocated three assembly seats -- Dehri & Chenari (Rohtas district) and Brahampur in Buxar district for LJP(R). Two seats -- Sasaram and Dinara -- went to RLM.
This is for the first time that BJP is not contesting any of the seven seats in Rohtas district. In the 2020 assembly elections, BJP contested two seats -- Dehri and Karakat. JDU, which had got five seats in the last assembly elections, is contesting only three seats in Rohtas district.
The NDA's decision to contest only 17 seats in Shahabad region has much to do with its fresh attempts to woo OBC voters, particularly Kushwaha and SCs, with the help of RLM and LJP (R).
The obvious reason is Mahagathbandhan's ally CPI(ML) which has its own influence over the Kushwaha and SC voters in this region. CPI (ML)'s success in bagging two LS seats -- Ara and Karakat -- in the last parliamentary election has alerted the NDA.
Kaimur district also witnessed a new experiment on the part of the NDA to correct its social equations. NDA could not win a single seat in Kaimur district which has four assembly seats. While three seats -- Bhabhua, Mohania and Ramgarh -- were won by RJD, BSP won Chainpur. Later, BJP won the Ramgarh seat, vacated by Sudhakar Singh after his victory in the LS polls as RJD nominee from Buxar.
Bharat Bind and Sangeeta Kumari, who were elected to the assembly on RJD ticket from Bhabhua and Mohania, joined the BJP. Now they are BJP's nominees from the same seats. Chainpur MLA Zama Khan, who won as BSP nominee in 2020 assembly polls, joined the JDU and is now a JDU nominee from Chainpur.
In Bhojpur, BJP and JDU fielded candidates on five and two seats, respectively. NDA has reasons to correct its social equations by projecting LJP (R) and RLM in this district. CPI (ML) has tried to revive its old base in this district.
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