Key Meetings and Strategy
Shah’s agenda includes discussions with BJP leaders, senior NDA allies, and religious leaders at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna. Party sources revealed that around 8,000 to 10,000 saints, priests, and seers from Bihar’s mutts and temples will participate in the gathering. The outreach reflects BJP’s strategy to strengthen ties with influential religious institutions in the state, which reportedly number around 45,000.
The Home Minister is also expected to meet Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other NDA leaders to finalize the much-anticipated seat-sharing arrangement for the October-November elections. BJP has divided Bihar into five organizational zones, and Shah will hold consultations with leaders from two of these during his Patna visit.
Signals of NDA Unity
Recent developments indicate a renewed sense of unity among NDA partners. During the vice-presidential election in Delhi on Tuesday, leaders from alliance parties including HAM(S) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha, and LJP(RV) MP Arun Bharti stressed that seat-sharing talks were progressing smoothly. Bharti, who had earlier hinted at larger seat demands for his party, clarified that his remarks were personal and not the official party stance.
In Patna, senior JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary echoed similar sentiments, stating that NDA partners shared a “perfect mutual understanding.” Kushwaha added that this cohesion would be even more visible during the Bihar assembly polls than in the recent vice-presidential election.
Upcoming Campaigns
Shah had earlier chaired a core committee meeting of Bihar BJP in Delhi on September 3, where the party reviewed candidate selection, manifesto drafts, and overall campaign strategy. His upcoming visits are part of a larger push to consolidate the NDA’s electoral position ahead of crucial contests, including next year’s West Bengal assembly elections.
Observers note that BJP’s dual outreach—development projects led by the Prime Minister and organizational strengthening by Shah—underscores the party’s intent to dominate the Bihar political landscape in the months ahead. More updates on Bihar elections are expected following Shah’s second visit on September 27.
