Patna: Polling for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections began at 7 a.m. on Thursday, and prominent political leaders across parties took to social media to urge citizens to vote in large numbers, marking what many described as a “festival of democracy.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, “Today marks the first phase of the celebration of democracy in Bihar. I urge all voters in this phase of the assembly elections to cast their votes with full enthusiasm. My special congratulations to all my young friends in the state who are voting for the first time. Remember: first vote, then refreshments!”
बिहार में आज लोकतंत्र के उत्सव का पहला चरण है। विधानसभा चुनावों में इस दौर के सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे पूरे उत्साह के साथ मतदान करें। इस मौके पर पहली बार वोट डालने जा रहे राज्य के अपने सभी युवा साथियों को मेरी विशेष बधाई। याद रखना है- पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2025
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed his message to young and first-time voters, posting, “My Gen-Z brothers and sisters, this is not just a day to vote, but a day to decide the future direction of Bihar. Many of you will be voting for the first time – this is not just your right, but the greatest responsibility in a democracy.”
Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, CM face of Mahagathbandhan, urged voters to focus on core issues such as employment, education, and healthcare. “In this important election, we must contribute to building a new Bihar with our votes. Education, medicine, earning, irrigation, and justice are your real issues,” he said. “It’s time for people to elect leaders with vision, energy, and tolerance who can bring employment to the centre of politics.”
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor also appealed for a strong turnout. “This is the chance for voters to bring change and decide their fate for the next five years. We have provided a political alternative to the people of Bihar—it’s time to exercise your electoral right,” he said.
According to Election Commission data, voter turnout in Bihar was around 57% in both 2015 and 2020, and efforts are underway to push participation beyond 60% this time.
Across the two phases of polling, there are over 70 million registered voters in Bihar—37.5 million in the first phase alone. Among them are 1.4 million first-time voters, 400,000 senior citizens, and 14,000 voters aged over 100 years.
By early morning, voters had begun queueing up at polling stations across the 18 districts where elections are being held in the first phase, as officials expressed hope for a peaceful and high-turnout polling day.
