The Shahabad region near Patna has been a weak area for the NDA in recent elections. In the 2020 Assembly polls, the alliance won only two of 22 seats across Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, and Rohtas districts. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw similar results, with the NDA losing all four parliamentary seats in the region. A major reason for this poor performance was the absence of Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party from the alliance. Together, these parties secured over 7% votes, proving decisive in an election where NDA and Mahagathbandhan finished with nearly identical vote shares of 37.26% and 37.23% respectively. With both leaders now back in the coalition, the NDA hopes to reverse its fortunes in this historically significant region known for socialist and leftist politics.
NDA Hopes for Comeback with Reunited Allies
The return of Chirag Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha to the NDA fold has boosted the alliance's confidence. A JD(U) leader highlighted the positive impact of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, which deposited Rs 10,000 in beneficiaries' accounts. All seven seats in Bhojpur are expected to witness tough contests. In Arrah, the NDA anticipates a more comfortable victory than in 2020, when BJP's Amrendra Pratap Singh narrowly defeated CPI (M-L) Liberation's Quyamuddin Ansari by just 3,002 votes. In Sasaram, Kushwaha's wife Snehlata is the NDA candidate, facing RJD's Satyendra Shah, who recently received bail in a 2004 bank robbery case. Observers believe this development has given Snehlata an advantage in voter outreach and campaign coverage.
Source: Link