Independent Purnia MP Pappu Yadav has predicted that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may leave the National Democratic Alliance following the 2025 assembly elections, alleging that the BJP and Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan are isolating the JD(U) chief.
“The way BJP and Chirag Paswan have isolated Nitish Kumar to maintain their strike rate, I don’t think Nitish Kumar will remain in the NDA after the elections. Only Congress will give Nitish Kumar the respect he deserves,” Yadav stated.
The JD(U) and BJP, the NDA’s two largest constituents, are contesting 101 seats each in the Bihar assembly elections. Despite the coalition announcing seat-sharing arrangements shortly after election dates were declared, reports of internal tensions have persisted.
VIDEO | Patna: Purnia MP Pappu Yadav says, "The way BJP and Chirag Paswan have isolated Nitish Kumar to maintain their strike rate, I don't think Nitish Kumar will remain in the NDA after the elections. Only Congress will give Nitish Kumar the respect he deserves."… pic.twitter.com/VNTuNrdquv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 21, 2025
Yadav elaborated on the alleged rift: “The alliance between the BJP and Chirag is going on, but Nitish hasn’t gone along with them so far. They are trying to isolate Nitish and are busy with their own strategies. Do you think they will stay with him after the elections? Don’t worry, only the Congress will honor Nitish.”
Patna, Bihar: On the rift in the NDA, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav says, “The alliance between the BJP and Chirag is going on, but Nitish hasn’t gone along with them so far. They are trying to isolate Nitish and are busy with their own strategies. Do you think they will stay with him… pic.twitter.com/xjGRBqkZzO
— IANS (@ians_india) October 21, 2025
Smaller NDA partners have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with seat allocations. Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) received 29 seats against a demand for 40, while Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM each got 6 seats against requests for 8.
The relationship between JD(U) and LJP (RV) carries historical tension. During the 2020 Bihar elections, Chirag Paswan contested independently, with his party winning only one seat out of 137 contested. JD(U)’s tally dropped from 71 seats in 2015 to 43 in 2020, with Paswan’s separate campaign allegedly splitting votes.
Paswan had declared himself Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporter during that election, stating: “I am Prime Minister Modi’s Hanuman…the PM lives in my heart.” His strategy appeared aimed at weakening JD(U) while maintaining BJP relations.
Kumar has previously switched political alliances multiple times, adding uncertainty to coalition dynamics. The NDA faces the challenge of maintaining unity between JD(U) and LJP (RV) amid these underlying tensions as Bihar prepares for elections scheduled in two phases next month.
