Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a crucial meeting in Patna on Sunday to strategize for the upcoming state assembly elections, scheduled to take place within the next six to seven months. The meeting, held at the CM’s official residence at 1, Anne Marg, brought together leaders from all five NDA allies in Bihar, sending a strong message of unity within the coalition.
The discussions focused on the ambitious goal of securing 225 out of 243 seats in the assembly elections. The JD(U), led by Nitish Kumar, has been actively promoting the slogan “225 seats in 2025, Phir Se Nitish,” positioning him as the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate. However, the BJP has yet to formally announce its own CM face for the election.
Among those present were key NDA leaders, including Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) founder and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha. Their presence underscored the coalition’s commitment to a unified campaign strategy.
Before attending the closed-door meeting, Shah addressed a BJP rally in Gopalganj and later shared the stage with Nitish Kumar at an official event in Patna, where they jointly inaugurated projects worth over ₹8,000 crore. His arrival at the CM’s residence was met with a warm welcome from Nitish and senior NDA functionaries, reflecting a show of camaraderie despite past tensions between the allies.
After the meeting, Chirag Paswan spoke to reporters, emphasizing that discussions revolved around strengthening the NDA’s electoral strategy. The LJP (RV), which has performed strongly in previous elections, is expected to negotiate a “respectable” share of assembly seats as part of the alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement.
The Bihar elections are set to be a high-stakes contest, with the NDA aiming to retain power amid challenges from opposition parties. The meeting between Shah, Nitish, and other NDA leaders signals a concerted effort to consolidate their position and present a united front ahead of the crucial polls.
