JDU keen on status quo in Bihar tickets, BJP wants overhaul

Ticket distribution strategies sharpen as Bihar parties brace for fierce poll battle.

- TIKAM SHARMA NEW DELHI

As Bihar approaches what is expected to be one of its most fiercely contested Assembly elections, political parties across the spectrum are fine-tuning their ticket distribution strategies - walking a tightrope between countering antiincumbency sentiment and rewarding loyal performers who have delivered on the ground.

Despite being one of the smaller players in the 2020 Assembly elections, the Janata Dal (United) [JDU] successfully clinched the chief minister's chair with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With a modest strength of just 43 MLAs, the party managed to retain political control, and it now appears poised to replicate that formula once again in 2025. According to party insiders, nearly 95% of JDU's sitting legislators are likely to be renominated, with only a few dropped due to unsatisfactory performance. Additionally, the party is also planning to introduce a few new faces to neutralize anti-incumbency anger in key constituencies.