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Nitish Kumar’s NDA faces Tejashwi Yadav’s Mahagathbandhan in Bihar’s historic election with record 67.13 percent turnout. Exit polls predict NDA lead, youth favor Tejashwi Yadav.
More than 7.4 crore voters across 38 districts cast their votes in both phases to decide the fate of 2,616 candidates.(Image: PTI/File)
Will Nitish Kumar’s two-decade rule in Bihar continue, or will Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav secure his first major electoral victory since taking charge of the party? The answers will come on Friday when the verdict of the keenly watched Bihar Assembly elections is announced.
The NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), and LJP (Ram Vilas), is eyeing another term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc — with the RJD, Congress, and Left parties as its key constituents — hopes to form the next government.
Tejashwi Yadav-led alliance fell short of a little over 12,000 votes when Nitish Kumar formed the government with a slim majority in the 2020 Bihar election.
1. Record Voter Turnout
More than 7.4 crore voters across 38 districts cast their votes in both phases to decide the fate of 2,616 candidates. Bihar recorded a historic 67.13% voter turnout — the highest since 1951. Notably, female voter participation stood at 71.78%, surpassing the 62.98% turnout among male voters.
2. Exit Poll Predictions
Most exit polls have predicted a comfortable victory for the NDA, placing the Mahagathbandhan in the second spot. The majority forecasted between 130–160 seats for the NDA and 70–105 seats for the opposition alliance.
However, Axis My India suggested a much tighter contest, estimating 121–141 seats for the NDA and 98–118 seats for the Mahagathbandhan.
Exit polls also indicated a poor performance by Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, predicting 0–5 seats in the 243-member Assembly in its debut election.
3. Acrimonious Campaign
The election campaign in Bihar was marked by sharp personal attacks and polarised rhetoric.
The NDA leaders invoked memories of ‘jungle raj’ under Lalu Prasad Yadav, arguing that Tejashwi Yadav represented a return to that era. The BJP also alleged that Mahagathabandhan allies want to protect infiltrators.
Meanwhile, the opposition targeted Nitish Kumar’s health and claimed the BJP would replace him post-elections, as it did with Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged instances of “vote chori”, while Tejashwi Yadav centred his campaign on employment and youth issues. Although the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) failed to gain traction during the campaign, several voters complained during polling that their names were missing from the electoral rolls.
The opposition further alleged that some BJP supporters voted twice — once in other states and again in Bihar.
4. Nitish vs Tejashwi: The CM Face Debate
Initially, the NDA did not officially project Nitish Kumar as its chief ministerial face. However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah later ended the suspense, asserting that “there is no vacancy for the CM’s post in Bihar.”
The Mahagathbandhan, after initial hesitation, formally announced Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate and VIP chief Mukesh Saini as his deputy.
Exit polls suggested that Tejashwi Yadav commands considerable popularity among Bihar’s youth, whereas Nitish Kumar retains a strong base among women voters. In multiple surveys, Tejashwi was also seen as the leading choice for the chief minister’s post.
Promises
The NDA has made a series of promises aimed at boosting employment, industry, and welfare in Bihar. It has pledged to provide jobs to one crore people and set up factories in every district to strengthen local manufacturing. The alliance has also promised to establish 10 new industrial parks and extend financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh to women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana.
The Nitish Kumar-led bloc has further assured free electricity up to 125 units, free medical treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh, and free, quality education from kindergarten to postgraduate level for students belonging to poor families.
On the other hand, the Mahagathbandhan has offered an equally ambitious set of promises. It has vowed to provide one government job to every family in Bihar, a commitment that could significantly influence young voters. The alliance has also promised 200 units of free electricity and a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 2,000 for graduates and Rs 3,000 for postgraduates.
The opposition bloc has also committed to providing free land to homeless individuals from the Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs). It has further pledged to develop IT parks, establish Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and promote agro-based industries to boost job creation and rural growth.
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
November 13, 2025, 14:48 IST
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