Overview

• The opposition coalition has settled on seat allocations that include 140 for the RJD, 55–58 for Congress, 20 for the CPI-ML, 11 for the VIP, 2–3 for the LJP, four for CPM and six for the CPI.
• The alliance is planning targeted seat swaps in constituencies lost by fewer than 2,000 votes to ensure each party fields its strongest candidate.
• Candidate selection will be driven by local demographic data and past performance to boost win probabilities in marginal races.
• The ruling NDA alliance is facing discord after LJP leader Chirag Paswan declared he will contest all 243 seats and renewed criticism of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
• Analysts say these granular negotiations aim to prevent partner underperformance and secure a clear majority after the coalition’s 2020 setback.