‘This time, nothing is well in NDA’: BJP’s Bihar ally

Expressing dissatisfaction over the seat-sharing arrangement within the ruling National Democratic Alliance in Bihar ahead of the assembly polls, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha on Wednesday said, “This time, nothing is well in NDA.”

IMAGE: Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha. Photograph: @UpendraKushRLM/X

Kuswaha, who left for Delhi on Wednesday to meet senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, told reporters at the airport that “Everything will be fine. With this hope and belief, we are going to Delhi.”

According to party insiders, Kushwaha is not happy with the six seats allotted to his party. He is also not happy with the allocation of the Mahua seat to another NDA constituent, Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas, headed by Union Minister Chirag Paswan.

Efforts to convince Kushwaha by senior BJP leaders in Patna failed to make any headway.

Union Minister Nityanand Rai and other state BJP leaders met Kushwaha in Patna on Tuesday evening.

The meeting continued till late at night, after which Kushwaha told reporters, “This time, nothing is well in NDA.”

NDA leaders had on Tuesday claimed that seat allocation among alliance partners had been settled amicably and that discussions were in the final stages.

However, discontent among smaller allies surfaced soon after.

According to the agreed formula, the BJP and the JD-U will contest 101 seats each, the LJP-Ram Vilas 29 seats, while the Hindustani Awami Morcha and the RLM will field candidates in six constituencies each.

Both HAM, led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM have voiced displeasure over the arrangement.

In an earlier post on X, Kushwaha apologised to his party workers after the formula was announced.

“Dear friends/colleagues, I seek your forgiveness. The number of seats which we have got is not as per your expectations. I understand that this decision will hurt those colleagues who aspired to be candidates of our party. Today, in many homes, food might not have been cooked. However, I am sure you all understand the constraints and limitations of both me and the party. I humbly request you to let the anger subside, and then you will yourself realise how appropriate or inappropriate the decision is. Time will tell the rest”.