The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as a significant political force in Bihar, particularly in recent years. The party's rise in Bihar politics can be attributed to various factors, including effective organizational strategies, alliance formations, and successful electoral campaigns.
In the past few decades, the BJP has strategically allied with regional parties like the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) to consolidate its support base and expand its influence across different regions of Bihar.
One of the key turning points for the BJP in Bihar was the formation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition, which brought together the BJP, JD(U), and LJP. This alliance proved to be formidable in the state's electoral arena, enabling the BJP-led coalition to secure significant victories in both assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
In 2010, the NDA secured a victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, with the BJP itself winning 93 seats in the 243-member Assembly. Nitish Kumar from the JD(U) was made the Chief Minister.
In 2015, Nitish Kumar switched sides to join hands with its legacy rivals, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Congress to form a Mahagathbandhan against the NDA. In this election, the Mahagathbandhan won 178 seats, and Nitish Kumar once again became chief minister, but from the opposing side of the NDA.
In 2020, the BJP once again emerged victorious, with Nitish Kumar ditching the Mahagathbandhan to join the NDA and becoming chief minister for the seventh time.
BJP and 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
The BJP has played a significant role in Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, especially as part of the NDA coalition. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it won a total of 17 seats out of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
This year it has fielded 16 candidates. Significant ones include former Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Power Minister R K Singh, Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh, and BJP National Vice-President Radha Mohan Singh.
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