Patna: The Bihar Assembly election results delivered a historic mandate on Friday, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) sweeping past the 200-seat mark, coming remarkably close to its ambitious target of “2025, 225, Nitish Again.” While the NDA could not hit the exact figure of 225 out of 243 seats, the scale of its victory surpassed expectations—including its own.
Most exit polls predicted a comfortable lead but none anticipated a tally crossing 200. The Grand Alliance collapsed across the state, with the RJD’s traditional Muslim–Yadav (MY) equation breaking down sharply. In Seemanchal, a large chunk of the Muslim vote shifted to AIMIM, dealing a major blow to Tejashwi Yadav’s coalition. The much-talked-about “Jan Suraaj” wave also failed to take off.
Tension During Counting in Kaimur
Amid celebrations elsewhere, violence broke out at the Mohania Market Committee in the Ramgarh Assembly constituency during the final round of counting. As delays in declaring the last round of results triggered anger, BSP supporters accused officials of vote rigging and began rioting. Police used lathi-charge to disperse the crowd, causing a stampede in the area.
Stone-pelting injured three policemen. In the chaos, miscreants set fire to the Scorpio of an Executive Officer from the Urban Housing and Development Department, spreading panic across the locality.
Nitish Kumar Set for 10th Oath
Nitish Kumar is now poised to take oath as Chief Minister for a record 10th time. The results mirrored the 2010 scenario, except that back then the JD(U) emerged as the largest party with 115 seats, followed by the BJP with 91. This time, the BJP leads the tally, while the JD(U) emerges as the second largest partner. Both parties contested 101 seats each.
Key Takeaways
• Congress won 6 seats; AIMIM finished close behind with 5
• 28 of Bihar’s 29 ministers won their seats; only Sumit Singh (Chakai) lost
• Jan Suraaj candidates forfeited deposits in 99% constituencies
• VIP, despite big claims, failed to open its account
• Narrowest victory: JD(U)’s Radhacharan Sah won Sandesh by 27 votes
• Biggest victory: JD(U)’s Kaladhar Mandal won Rupauli by 73,572 votes
Why the NDA Won in Bihar
- Direct economic benefits: A pre-poll transfer of ₹10,000 to Jeevika Didis, and promises of jobs, 120 free electricity units, and enhanced pensions boosted NDA support, especially among women.
- “Jungle Raj” narrative: The NDA successfully revived fears linked to the Lalu-Rabri era once Tejashwi was declared the CM face.
- SIR impact: The Grand Alliance’s campaign for SIR (special identity documents) boosted turnout but ultimately benefitted the NDA’s stronger organization.
- Focused campaign: Early candidate selection and high-frequency rallies by PM Modi (20), CM Nitish Kumar (84), and Amit Shah (38) shaped voter mood.
- Double-engine credibility: Voters favored continuity and stability under the JD(U)–BJP alliance.
Why the Grand Alliance Lost
- Weak messaging: Its announcements appeared reactionary, while the government swiftly implemented its promises.
- Seat-sharing disputes: Despite PM rallies, GA partners continued negotiating seat disputes; the CM-face confusion weakened their pitch.
- Congress infighting: Ticket-distribution controversies, horse-trading accusations, and internal protests hurt its credibility.
- Poor campaign presence: Tejashwi mostly campaigned alone as top Congress leaders held only a handful of rallies.
- Mobilization setbacks: The Dularchand Yadav murder case and subsequent arrest of Anant Singh consolidated upper-caste votes against the alliance.
Strongmen and Their Families
Of the 20 strongmen or their relatives in fray, 11 entered the Assembly—10 from the NDA and 3 from the Grand Alliance. Several prominent strongmen or their kin, including Amarendra Pandey (Kuchaykot), Bogo Singh (Matihani), Dhumal Singh (Ekma), and Randhir Singh (Manjhi), secured victories.
Osama Shahab, son of the late Shahabuddin, won from Siwan, while Rakesh Ranjan, son of former MLA Visheshwar Ojha, also made his Assembly debut. However, Hulas Pandey (Brahmapur) and Munna Shukla’s daughter Shivani (Lalganj) lost.
Tej Pratap Defeated
Tej Pratap Yadav suffered defeat in Mahua. His party JJD posted on social media blaming “Jaichands” and calling Prime Minister Modi “a strong global leader,” acknowledging the NDA’s unified strategy.
Women’s Representation Rises
This election saw 88 women contest and 28 emerge victorious.
• BJP: 10 women MLAs
• JD(U): 9
• RJD: 3 of 23 candidates
• LJP (R): 3 of 6
• HAM (S): 2 of 2
• Jan Suraaj: None of its candidates won
The NDA’s strong performance and the Grand Alliance’s fragmentation have reshaped Bihar’s political landscape once again—setting the stage for Nitish Kumar’s 10th term amid a sweeping mandate.
