"NDA going to get more seats than in 2010 in Bihar polls": BJP MP Shambhu Sharan Patel

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 17 : BJP MP Shambhu Sharan Patel on Friday expressed confidence that the NDA will secure more seats in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections than it did in 2010, while taking a dig at the opposition alliance.
Speaking to ANI, Patel said, "The NDA is going to get even more seats than in 2010... In the Mahagathbandhan, people always have their own ambitions. When overly ambitious people come together, there is bound to be a rift among them."
Meanwhile, as Bihar gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections, Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Friday accused the opposition Mahagathbandhan of over-seat-sharing and said that even on the last day of election, they would not be able to decide because their agenda is not at all to work for Bihar's welfare.
The JD(U) MP informed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has begun its campaign programs, and other leaders are also starting their campaigns from today.
Speaking to mediapersons in Patna, JDU MP Sanjay Jha said, "Today is the last day for nominations. The NDA has united and announced its numbers... The campaign programs of other leaders are also starting from today, but if we talk about the opposition, even on the last day, it is not decided who will contest from where because their agenda is not at all to work for Bihar's welfare."
He further asserted that the people of Bihar are watching everything, and the atmosphere that is being created is a landslide in favour of the NDA. "The people of Bihar are watching everything. After yesterday's election campaign, the atmosphere that is being created is a landslide in favour of the NDA... We will win the elections by a huge margin..." Jha said.
Earlier today, BJP leader Guru Prakash Paswan said that the Mahagathbandhan is "on the verge of a major split," citing the "visible disunity" within the opposition alliance. With today marking the final day for nominations, he said that there is still no clarity on seat-sharing ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
"The Mahagathbandhan is on the verge of a major split, given the visible disunity among them... Today is the last day for nominations, yet there is still no clarity. All those doing this will risk their existence and could cease to exist once the results are announced on November 14th," Paswan said to ANI.
On Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement regarding NDA's chief ministerial candidate for Bihar elections 2025, Paswan said, "We are contesting the elections under his leadership, and there is complete trust in Nitish Kumar's name. Nitish ji has a track record; he has delivered..."
Meanwhile, the Congress party released its first list of 48 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections.
According to an official statement, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Rajesh Ram will contest from the Kutumba Assembly seat, while Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan will fight from the Kadwa constituency.
Out of the total 48 candidates, 24 will be contested in the first phase of elections and 24 in the second phase. The party said that the remaining names will be announced in due course.
The list, approved by the Central Election Committee (CEC), includes Jayesh Mangal Singh from Bagaha, Amit Giri from Nautan, Abhishek Ranjan from Chanpatia, Wasi Ahmed from Bettiah, Amit Kumar Singh 'Tunna' from Riga, Dr. Chandan Yadav from Khagaria, and Ajeet Kumar Sharma from Bhagalpur.
Earlier, the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), led by former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, announced its second and final list of candidates for the state polls. The RLM, a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will contest a total of six seats.
In its latest list, the party named former MLC Rameshwar Kumar Mahto from Bajpatti and Madan Chaudhary from Paru. Kushwaha said seat-sharing discussions within the NDA had been completed amicably, and no party had been sidelined.
The polling for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly is scheduled to take place on November 6 and November 11, and votes will be counted on November 14. The last date for filing nominations for the first phase is October 17.