NEW DELHI: Gopal Mandal, a ruling Janata Dal (United) MLA, expressed his dissatisfaction over not receiving a call following the seat-sharing agreement among National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parties. He staged a sit-in outside Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s residence, demanding a meeting with the CM to secure an election ticket for the Gopalpur assembly constituency in the upcoming Bihar elections.
“I want to meet the CM. I have been waiting here since 8:30 AM. I will get the election ticket. I won’t leave without it,” Mandal told news agency ANI.
Mandal has been embroiled in various controversies that have cast a shadow over his party. Notably, in 2021, he was photographed walking in his undergarments on a first-class AC coach of the Tejas Rajdhani Express while traveling from Patna to Delhi. This incident went viral on social media, bringing disrepute to his party.
Earlier in 2021, the JD(U) sought an explanation from Mandal after he accused Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Tarkishore Prasad of extorting money from local businessmen in Bhagalpur. Following Prasad’s visit to the area for a review meeting, Mandal alleged that the deputy CM frequently collected extortion money from shop owners and demanded an investigation, even calling for Prasad’s resignation.
In March 2016, Mandal was suspended from the JD(U) after he threatened to resort to “the politics of murder” against his rivals at a public function. He controversially declared, “Main ab hatya ki rajniti hi karunga aur hatya karwaunga” (I will engage in politics of murder and will execute people).
Recently, the NDA announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the Bihar Assembly elections, granting 101 seats each to the BJP and JD(U), while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats, and both the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest six seats each.
The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled for two phases on November 6 and 11, 2025, with the vote count set for November 14, 2025.
