Bihar Election 2025: The NDA has spoken seat-sharing for the Bihar Turnout by-elections, but the political turmoil shows no signs of abating. Now the big turn has come for Upendra Kushwaha, who, withal with his party, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), is upset with NDA. Efforts were made to convince him till late at night, but he did not agree. Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary and BJP leaders Nityanand Rai, Nitin Naveen and Rituraj Sinha reached his house, but instead of improving things, things got worse. BJP leaders quietly came out with folded hands and left without saying anything to the media. Kushwaha unmistakably said, "Nothing is well in NDA."
Patna meeting postponed; discussion with Shah in Delhi
Kushwaha had tabbed his leaders for the Patna meeting but later spoken in a Facebook post that he was leaving for Delhi with Nityanand Rai for discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Due to this, the Patna meeting was postponed. Sources say that this step is the last struggle to repair the rift in NDA, but Kushwaha's wrongness is not going yonder easily. He has given strict instructions to his workers not to take part in the nomination of any NDA candidate.
Root of resentment... Requirement rejected on Mahua seat
Quoting sources, it is reported that the main reason for Kushwaha's displeasure is the transpiration of seats. NDA had given them six seats like Madhubani, Ujiarpur, Bajpatti, Mahua, Dinara and Mahua, but the Mahua seat was snatched by LJP. This enraged Kushwaha. Without LJP's claim, he openly came into the field. NDA looks strong on some of the total 243 seats in the by-elections, but the equation may get spoiled due to lack of support from Kushwaha. RJD has distributed symbols to its candidates here—Tejashwi Yadav will races from Raghopur and Alok Mehta from Ujiarpur.
NDA defeated on 13 seats in 2020
Upendra Kushwaha's political journey has been full of ups and downs. In 2010, he was with JDU; in 2015 he contested elections with BJP and in 2020 he entered the fray by forming a third front. In the 2020 turnout elections, he contested 99 seats, securing 1.77% of the votes, but did not win a single seat himself. Nevertheless, their votes helped defeat the NDA on 13 seats. This time the NDA tried to alimony him with them at the inside level, plane sending him to the Rajya Sabha without the Lok Sabha elections, but the seat dispute in the by-elections spoiled everything.
Kushwaha Vote Bank: 4.21% of the population
4.21% of Bihar's population belongs to the Kushwaha caste, which has traditionally been NDA voters. Kushwaha is a big leader of this community, but in the Lok Sabha elections, his voters supported the INDIA syndication in many seats, which shocked the NDA. Due to this fear, BJP had sent him to Rajya Sabha. Now, due to his displeasure, NDA may squatter difficulties in the Magadha and Shahabad regions. Experts believe that the Kushwaha factor can overturn the results of the by-election.
20 seats where Kushwaha can spoil the equation
There are at least 20 such seats in Bihar, where Kushwaha votes can play a decisive role. These include Sugauli, Bajpatti, Belsand, Kudhni, Siwan, Badharia, Maharajganj, Bakhri, Bhagalpur, Dhoraiya, Islampur, Buxar, Mohania, Bhabua, Dinara, Goh, Nabinagar, Bodhgaya, Atri and Sikandra. Boycott of Kushwaha workers on these seats can prove to be a big wrack-up for NDA. By-election dates are near, and NDA will have to convince Kushwaha soon; otherwise, the political equations can be reversed. Will the discussion in Delhi help? The coming days will tell.
