Back in NDA, Chirag delivers a 40-seat lift for Nitish's JDU
In the 2020 election, the JDU's tally had dropped sharply by 28 seats to 43, a fall widely attributed to LJP's decision to go solo and field candidates against both the JDU and RJD
- Nov 14, 2025,
- Updated Nov 14, 2025 11:09 AM IST
Chirag Paswan's return to the NDA has given a major boost to Nitish Kumar's JDU in Bihar. In the 2020 election, the JDU's tally had dropped by 28 seats to 43, a fall widely attributed to Chirag Paswan-led LJP's decision to go solo and field candidates against both the JDU and RJD.
The LJP had strategically avoided contesting against the BJP, a move that strengthened the saffron party but hurt Nitish. The BJP went on to become the second-largest party in Bihar and the largest in the NDA, fuelling speculation that the party had encouraged LJP's exit from the alliance to cut Nitish down to size.
The strategy had cost the LJP as well - it won just one of the 135 seats it contested in 2020. But in 2025, Chirag Paswan returned to the NDA fold.
As of 11:00 am, the LJP was leading in 23 seats, while the JDU was ahead in 84 seats - a gain of over 40 from its 2020 tally of 43. If the trends hold, the JDU would be back to where it was in 2015, when it contested with the RJD and won 70-plus seats.
This time, the LJP contested 28 seats and was leading in 23. The BJP contested 101 seats and was ahead in 78. In 2020, the BJP had won 74 of the 110 seats it contested.
In 2020, the India Today Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) found that 'vote-cutters' played a decisive role in at least 120 seats, where third-position candidates significantly impacted margins. On 54 of these, it was Chirag's LJP.
In all these seats, the LJP's vote count was higher than the victory margin - a factor that hurt the JDU the most. Of the 54 seats where the LJP dented margins, the JDU was runner-up in 25 and lost by margins smaller than the LJP's vote share.
Chirag, while speaking to reporters in Patna, had somewhat hinted: "My main idea in the election was to make the BJP stronger. I am happy with the impact I have had in this election."
Chirag Paswan's return to the NDA has given a major boost to Nitish Kumar's JDU in Bihar. In the 2020 election, the JDU's tally had dropped by 28 seats to 43, a fall widely attributed to Chirag Paswan-led LJP's decision to go solo and field candidates against both the JDU and RJD.
The LJP had strategically avoided contesting against the BJP, a move that strengthened the saffron party but hurt Nitish. The BJP went on to become the second-largest party in Bihar and the largest in the NDA, fuelling speculation that the party had encouraged LJP's exit from the alliance to cut Nitish down to size.
The strategy had cost the LJP as well - it won just one of the 135 seats it contested in 2020. But in 2025, Chirag Paswan returned to the NDA fold.
As of 11:00 am, the LJP was leading in 23 seats, while the JDU was ahead in 84 seats - a gain of over 40 from its 2020 tally of 43. If the trends hold, the JDU would be back to where it was in 2015, when it contested with the RJD and won 70-plus seats.
This time, the LJP contested 28 seats and was leading in 23. The BJP contested 101 seats and was ahead in 78. In 2020, the BJP had won 74 of the 110 seats it contested.
In 2020, the India Today Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) found that 'vote-cutters' played a decisive role in at least 120 seats, where third-position candidates significantly impacted margins. On 54 of these, it was Chirag's LJP.
In all these seats, the LJP's vote count was higher than the victory margin - a factor that hurt the JDU the most. Of the 54 seats where the LJP dented margins, the JDU was runner-up in 25 and lost by margins smaller than the LJP's vote share.
Chirag, while speaking to reporters in Patna, had somewhat hinted: "My main idea in the election was to make the BJP stronger. I am happy with the impact I have had in this election."