With the Bihar Assembly elections on the horizon, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are convening in New Delhi today to lay down their electoral strategies. The meeting, taking place at the residence of Bihar MP Sanjay Jaiswal, is set to incorporate discussions on seat-sharing and other pressing matters ahead of this year’s elections.
Among those attending are BJP President J.P. Nadda, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and state BJP in-charge Vinod Tawade. Additional representation comes from across the alliance: LJP-R’s Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi from the Hindustan Awam Morcha, and Upendra Kushwaha from the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, amongst others, are also expected to participate.
The timing of this meeting is crucial, occurring just days before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s planned visit to Bihar later this month. Leaders are expected to finalize strategies on tackling election dynamics, ensuring that the NDA remains united in the face of significant opposition.
In response to the awakening political climate, the Bihar Congress held a meeting on March 25 in New Delhi, where party president Mallikarjun Kharge and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi convened with new state in-charges. The Congress strategized on pressing state issues such as unemployment and social justice as they prepare to challenge the NDA.
Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is mobilizing protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, which they have labeled "controversial and discriminatory." On March 26, a sit-in protest is set to unfold outside the Bihar Assembly in Patna, with the AIMPLB publicly inviting leaders from the JD(U), RJD, Congress, and LJP(RV), including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, to join the cause. S.Q.R. Ilyas, the AIMPLB spokesperson, stated, "Our aim is to send a clear message to the BJP’s allies: withdraw your support for this Bill or risk losing ours.”
Looking ahead, the AIMPLB plans to escalate their agitation with additional protests slated for various state capitals. This first phase includes a significant sit-in scheduled in Vijayawada on March 29.
On the economic front, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary made a bold announcement in the Legislative Council. He asserted that the NDA government aims to create 50 lakh jobs and open 350 degree colleges as part of a broader employment strategy. By capitalizing on recent employment numbers, where Choudhary highlighted that since "Saat Nischay-II" in 2020, the Nitish government has already provided 10 lakh jobs, he underscored the administration’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities.
Choudhary took a swing at RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, quipping about his poor performance in cricket to mirror political prowess: "CM Nitish Kumar is set to hit a half-century in job creation, unlike Yadav who could not even score 50 runs in his career." He elaborated that, since 2005, the Nitish government has provided 7.5 lakh jobs compared to just 94,000 under past RJD leadership from 1990 to 2005.
The Deputy CM also mentioned a plan for the development of sports villages in nine key cities and emphasized investment in sports facilities across 7,000 panchayats, demonstrating the government’s holistic approach to youth engagement.
Further ensuring a comprehensive response to local needs, Choudhary noted that infrastructure improvements like housing plans under the PM Awas Yojana have resulted in 7.80 lakh housing units being provided since 2014, while poverty rates have reportedly dropped from 54.34% in 2005 to 33% today.
The political scene is fluid; debates on seat-sharing dominate both the NDA and the Grand Alliance. Reports suggest that LJP-R leader Chirag Paswan is advocating for 60 seats, while Jitan Ram Manjhi demands 40 for his HAM party, which he believes can yield at least 20 wins. This comes in a backdrop where both alliances reflect on the lessons learned from the 2020 elections, where Congress was assigned 70 seats but only managed to win 19.
As both alliances mobilize their resources, they face pressure to deliver compelling narratives to the electorate. As campaign activities ramp up, the leadership styles of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav are under scrutiny, particularly in how they present their party’s objectives and coalition strategies.
With the budget session underway, crucial developments like the presentation of the 2025-26 budgets in Punjab and Goa are also set to unfold today, laying the groundwork for fiscal discussions important to voters.
As political maneuvers accelerate in Bihar, the landscape remains charged with anticipation for the upcoming elections, where issues around governance, employment, and representation will determine the direction of the state’s future.
