'Nitish Kumar is NDA's CM face': Giriraj Singh ends speculation ahead of Bihar elections
Giriraj Singh dismissed claims of rifts within the NDA coalition regarding seat-sharing arrangements, assuring that talks were ongoing and a final formula would soon be announced
- Oct 8, 2025,
- Updated Oct 8, 2025 3:32 PM IST
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh confirmed on Wednesday that Nitish Kumar will be the NDA's Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. "Nitish Kumar is NDA's face for the chief ministerial post in the coming assembly polls," he said while speaking to reporters.
Singh also dismissed claims of rifts within the NDA coalition regarding seat-sharing arrangements, assuring that talks were ongoing and a final formula would soon be announced. "There is no resentment at all within the NDA. Everything is fine, and the final seat-sharing formula will be finalized soon, and you will all know about that," he added.
The minister took a jibe at the INDIA alliance, claiming that the opposition's Mahagathbandhan was a "divided house." He referred to a recent statement from Congress, clarifying that Tejashwi Yadav would be the RJD's chief ministerial candidate, not the Mahagathbandhan's. This, he claimed, had caused concern among RJD leaders, particularly Lalu Yadav. "The leadership of the Mahagathbandhan has not yet been decided. In contrast, NDA's policy, leadership, and intent are all set," Singh said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), expressed his desire for his party to contest "half" of the 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar. However, he indicated a willingness to "settle for 15" seats in order to avoid conflict with NDA partners. Manjhi, who has previously sought more seats for HAM, posted a message on X quoting a famous line from Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's war poem Rashmirathi: "Ho Nyay Aagar To Aadha Do" (give us half of the pie if you wish to do justice).
He added, "Par usme bhi yadi badha ho, to de do keval 15 gram, rakho apni dharti tamam," which loosely translates to: "But if that is not possible, give us 15 seats and keep the rest for yourself." Manjhi stressed that his party would be satisfied with this arrangement and avoid confrontation with their NDA allies, noting that HAM needed at least 15 seats to achieve "recognised" status from the Election Commission.
The BJP-led NDA in Bihar includes Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which Manjhi had previously split from in 2015 to form HAM. Other partners in the alliance include Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Bihar's assembly elections will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14.
(With inputs from PTI)
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh confirmed on Wednesday that Nitish Kumar will be the NDA's Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. "Nitish Kumar is NDA's face for the chief ministerial post in the coming assembly polls," he said while speaking to reporters.
Singh also dismissed claims of rifts within the NDA coalition regarding seat-sharing arrangements, assuring that talks were ongoing and a final formula would soon be announced. "There is no resentment at all within the NDA. Everything is fine, and the final seat-sharing formula will be finalized soon, and you will all know about that," he added.
The minister took a jibe at the INDIA alliance, claiming that the opposition's Mahagathbandhan was a "divided house." He referred to a recent statement from Congress, clarifying that Tejashwi Yadav would be the RJD's chief ministerial candidate, not the Mahagathbandhan's. This, he claimed, had caused concern among RJD leaders, particularly Lalu Yadav. "The leadership of the Mahagathbandhan has not yet been decided. In contrast, NDA's policy, leadership, and intent are all set," Singh said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), expressed his desire for his party to contest "half" of the 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar. However, he indicated a willingness to "settle for 15" seats in order to avoid conflict with NDA partners. Manjhi, who has previously sought more seats for HAM, posted a message on X quoting a famous line from Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's war poem Rashmirathi: "Ho Nyay Aagar To Aadha Do" (give us half of the pie if you wish to do justice).
He added, "Par usme bhi yadi badha ho, to de do keval 15 gram, rakho apni dharti tamam," which loosely translates to: "But if that is not possible, give us 15 seats and keep the rest for yourself." Manjhi stressed that his party would be satisfied with this arrangement and avoid confrontation with their NDA allies, noting that HAM needed at least 15 seats to achieve "recognised" status from the Election Commission.
The BJP-led NDA in Bihar includes Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which Manjhi had previously split from in 2015 to form HAM. Other partners in the alliance include Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Bihar's assembly elections will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14.
(With inputs from PTI)