Is the NDA's Ship Sinking? Congress Critiques Alliance Over Bihar Seat Sharing

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) criticize NDA over seat sharing.
- The NDA coalition shows signs of internal strife.
- Seat allocations favor JD(U) more than other allies.
- The upcoming elections are pivotal for Bihar's political landscape.
- Corruption allegations against Nitish Kumar add to NDA's challenges.
New Delhi, Oct 15 (NationPress) Leaders from the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have initiated a barrage of criticism against the NDA, alleging a lack of cohesion and hypocrisy regarding the seat allocation for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput directly addressed the BJP-led coalition, asserting, “The NDA is disintegrating piece by piece. No one wishes to remain on a sinking ship; the first to abandon it are the rats. Upendra Kushwaha is dissatisfied and has traveled to Delhi to confer with Nityanand Rai, making pointed remarks. Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan are entering nominations against each other, with Chirag even contesting from JD(U) territories.”
“In practical terms, the NDA is already defunct. The years of corruption under Nitish Kumar’s regime must be scrutinized, which is leading to the NDA’s downfall. The accusations of electoral fraud against the BJP will ultimately burden all NDA constituents,” he continued.
Echoing similar sentiments, Anand Dubey, a spokesperson for Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed discontent, stating, “In Bihar, every partner has been allotted a mere six seats, which is akin to treating them as subordinates. Both Kushwaha and Manjhi are disgruntled and could run separately. The BJP favors subservience over camaraderie. Historically, JD(U) has received more seats compared to its allies. Presently, both factions are contesting an equal number of 101 seats. The BJP will never assign JD(U) more than 50 seats in the future.”
The criticisms have unveiled the tensions simmering within the NDA coalition as it prepares for an aggressive campaign. The remarks from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) aim to heighten pressure on the NDA.
According to the finalized agreement among the NDA, both BJP and JD(U) will vie for 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has been awarded 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) have each received 6 seats.
The Bihar elections are scheduled to take place in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with results expected on November 14.