Overview

• Jitan Ram Manjhi publicly pressed for at least 15 seats for HAM(S) and said his party would sit out the election if denied that quota while continuing to back the NDA.
• Reports indicate the BJP has offered HAM(S) no more than 10 seats and is weighing non-seat compensations for Chirag Paswan, with leaders reluctant to meet his push for 30–40 seats.
• Chirag Paswan held urgent consultations after reiterating a much larger demand than the BJP’s offer, with party sources hinting at exploring other options if talks fail.
• BJP and JD(U) are understood to be targeting roughly 100 seats each, leaving limited room for smaller NDA allies as central panels prepare to finalise candidate slates within days.
• The opposition bloc is nearing its formula with Tejashwi Yadav positioned as the likely CM face and a proposal for three deputy CMs, as Congress clears an initial list of 25 candidates for the two-phase polls on November 6 and 11 with counting on November 14.