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Despite pre-election surveys and opinion polls that favored Tejashwi Yadav, the chief ministerial candidate from the Mahagathbandhan, the opposition alliance seemed to face a crushing defeat The Mahagathbandhan, comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, three Left parties, and smaller factions, was barely on track to reach 35 seats.
The BJP’s remarkable achievement of winning 35 seats and leading in an additional 55 of the 101 constituencies it contested further solidifies its status as the country’s top political force The party’s performance helps offset setbacks from the previous year’s Lok Sabha elections, where it had to rely on coalition partners to maintain power at the center.
The high turnout of female voters, who outnumbered male voters by almost 10 percentage points, was seen as a key factor favoring the BJP-led NDA Various studies suggested that women voters in Bihar tend to favor the NDA.
The NDA’s victory in Bihar follows its strong performances in Delhi, Maharashtra, and Haryana, reaffirming its dominance across the country.
Prime Minister Modi and his ministers’ strong support for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seemed to pay off for the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which is expected to improve drastically on its 2020 performance of only 43 seats JD-U has now secured 24 seats and was leading in 64 others, with a nearly 19 percent vote share.
The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, has also made gains, winning two seats and leading in 17 constituencies, despite having only 28 candidates in the race.
A simple majority in Bihar’s assembly requires 122 seats, and the NDA’s current tally places it well above this threshold.
Promises of “double-engine growth,” with the NDA in power at both the state and central levels, were popular among voters Issues like free electricity, increased social security pensions, and financial support to women appear to have resonated strongly with the electorate.
In contrast, the Opposition struggled to counter the BJP’s claims about the RJD, with its leader Tejashwi Yadav being criticized for allegedly continuing the legacy of “jungle raj”.
The election was held in two phases, and amid allegations of irregularities in the electoral roll revision, the outcome is seen as a potential precursor to the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.
Celebrations erupted in Patna, with BJP and JD-U workers marking their victories with drums, firecrackers, and slogans.
Among BJP’s prominent winners were Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary (Tarapur), and ministers Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Sanjay Saraogi, and Raju Kumar Singh (Sahebganj) JD-U also had significant wins, including Minister Maheshwar Hazari (Kalyanpur) and former MLA Anant Kumar Singh (Mokama).
The RJD, despite being the largest opposition party, faced a poor showing with just six seats and 20 leads According to the Election Commission, Tejashwi Yadav, who was expected to perform well in his home constituency of Raghopur, faced an initial struggle but gained momentum later in the counting rounds.
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwah’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha, both junior allies of the NDA, secured strong positions with five and four seats respectively.
The Congress, often criticized for being a weak link in the INDIA alliance, performed poorly, winning only one seat and leading in five others out of 61 contested.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, which contested 32 seats, was ahead in six constituencies, while Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party failed to secure any leads.
The BJP’s performance raises the possibility of internal demands for the party to consider a chief minister from its ranks, especially given its strong showing in this election and the JD-U’s underperformance.
Bihar remains one of the few states where the BJP has yet to independently form a government, but Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have consistently backed Nitish Kumar’s leadership, a strategy reflecting the BJP’s reliance on coalition partners for power.
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]]>According to Election Commission, vote counting trends in Raghopur around 1:50 p.m. Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav was trailing by 4,570 votes after 12 of the 30 rounds of counting were completed.
BJP candidate and former MLA, Satish Kumar, held the lead in the constituency. He had previously created a major upset in 2010, by defeating Tejashwi’s mother and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, by a margin of 13,006 votes while he was a member of the Janata Dal United.
Tejashwi’s brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who formed his own party named Janshakti Janta Dal, after leaving the RJD, was trailing by nearly 31,000 votes in Mahua. As per ECI data Sanjay Kumar Singh from the Lok Janshakti Party, Ram Vilas, was ahead in the seat. RJD candidate Mukesh Kumar Raushan, who contested against Tej Pratap, was also behind by 17,061 votes.
In other significant contests Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, were leading in Tarapur and Lakhisarai respectively.
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]]>The post Record Voter Turnout in Bihar as 65 Percent Electorate Votes in First Phase of Assembly Elections appeared first on The Edge Media.
]]>The contest marks the beginning of a closely followed political battle between the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the opposition INDIA bloc. The NDA, which has governed Bihar for nearly two decades with brief breaks, is seeking to retain power on the back of its reputation for good governance and recent welfare initiatives. On the other hand, the RJD-led opposition is banking on anti-incumbency sentiments and the promise of employment for every household under its chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav.
The first phase assumes national importance as it not only determines local outcomes but also reflects the wider political sentiment ahead of the 2029 general elections. The polling followed the Election Commission’s controversial Special Intensive Revision of voter lists, which drew criticism from opposition parties alleging manipulation and irregularities.
The second and final phase of voting is scheduled for November 11, while results will be declared on November 14. Prominent leaders such as Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers are among the 1,314 candidates contesting in this phase.
Isolated incidents of violence were reported, including an alleged attack on Sinha’s vehicle, though overall voting remained peaceful. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the strong participation of women voters as a sign of support for the NDA, stating that women have suffered most during previous regimes and now stand as protectors against a return to misrule.
The NDA hopes that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s record and welfare measures—such as 125 units of free electricity, financial aid to over one crore women, and enhanced pensions—will help counter anti-incumbency. The opposition, however, insists that Bihar needs change after two decades of NDA governance. RJD chief Lalu Prasad likened the situation to a roti that burns if not flipped, suggesting that the state needs new leadership under Tejashwi Yadav.
Both sides traded accusations during polling, with the RJD alleging that voting was deliberately slowed in opposition strongholds, a charge dismissed by the Election Commission. Meanwhile, Sinha claimed that RJD workers attempted to intimidate voters from backward communities.
Adding an unpredictable element to the race is Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party. The former election strategist has drawn attention with promises of transforming Bihar into one of the leading states in India and a bold pledge to repeal the prohibition law, which he argues has hurt the state’s economy.
As the campaign intensifies, caste and community loyalties remain crucial in determining outcomes. Voters from Yadav, Kurmi, Kushwaha, Brahmin, and Dalit communities continue to hold significant influence in key constituencies, making the next phase of voting decisive for Bihar’s political future.
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Tejashwi Yadav is eyeing a third consecutive win from Raghopur where he faces BJP candidate Satish Kumar, who had earlier defeated Yadav’s mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi in 2010 while contesting on a Janata Dal United ticket. The contest in Raghopur was expected to draw attention after Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor initially declared his intention to challenge Yadav on his home turf. However, Kishor later decided not to enter the fray, and his party fielded a lesser-known candidate, Chanchal Singh.
In the nearby constituency of Mahua, Tejashwi’s elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who leads his own outfit Janshakti Janata Dal, is locked in a multi-cornered contest. The elder son of RJD president Lalu Prasad aims to win the seat from sitting RJD MLA Mukesh Raushan. The presence of Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas nominee Sanjay Singh, representing the NDA, and Independent candidate Ashma Parveen, the 2020 runner-up, has added complexity to the race.
Several ministers in the Nitish Kumar-led government, including Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, are also seeking electoral validation in this phase. Sinha is contesting from Lakhisarai, aiming for a fourth straight victory against Congress candidate Amresh Kumar and Jan Suraaj Party nominee Suraj Kumar. Choudhary, who has been serving his second term in the legislative council, is contesting a direct election after nearly a decade from Tarapur. His performance is seen as crucial to solidifying his growing influence within the BJP, a party he joined less than ten years ago. He faces RJD’s Arun Kumar Sah, who narrowly lost the same seat in 2020 by around 5,000 votes.
BJP minister Mangal Pandey, also a former state party president, is contesting his first assembly election from Siwan. He faces RJD veteran Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, a multiple-term MLA and former assembly Speaker. The neighboring seat of Raghunathpur is drawing attention due to the candidature of Osama Shahab, the son of late gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, who dominated the region for decades. The NDA has used his candidature to accuse the RJD of promoting the return of what they term “jungle raj,” with leaders such as Himanta Biswa Sarma even remarking that his name evokes the memory of terrorist Osama Bin Laden.
Other notable contestants include folk singer Maithili Thakur representing the BJP from Aliganj, Bhojpuri star Khesari Lal Yadav contesting from Chhapra on an RJD ticket, and actor Ritesh Pandey contesting from Kargahar on behalf of the Jan Suraaj Party.
Around a dozen ministers, mostly from the BJP, are in the electoral field in this phase. They include Nitin Nabin from Bankipur, Sanjay Saraogi from Darbhanga, Jibesh Kumar from Jale, and Kedar Prasad Gupta from Kurhani, each defending their seats. JD-U ministers Shrawan Kumar from Nalanda and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary from Sarairanjan also face key contests.
One of the most closely watched battles is in Mokama, where JD-U candidate Anant Singh, currently in jail for his alleged role in the killing of a Jan Suraaj Party supporter, is facing RJD’s Veena Devi, the wife of former gangster Suraj Bhan.
The Election Commission reported that Digha constituency, representing the western part of Patna, has the highest number of voters at about 4.58 lakh, while Barbigha in Sheikhpura district has the lowest at around 2.32 lakh. Kurhani and Muzaffarpur each have 20 candidates contesting, the highest in this phase, while the reserved constituencies of Bhorey, Alauli, and Parbatta have only five candidates each.
Voting will take place at 45,341 polling stations, with a majority located in rural regions. The total number of voters in this phase is 3.75 crore, including 10.72 lakh newly registered electors. The number of voters aged 18 to 19 stands at 7.38 lakh. The Election Commission noted that the population of the constituencies going to polls is around 6.6 crore, meaning nearly three crore residents are not on the voters’ list, mainly due to age or other factors.
The ongoing assembly elections follow a recent special intensive revision of electoral rolls, which now record 7.24 crore registered voters across Bihar, roughly 60 lakh fewer than before the revision exercise.
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]]>The Prime Minister remarked that the Congress wanted to defeat the RJD in the Bihar elections and hinted that the alliance partners would soon be at odds once the second phase of voting concluded on November 11. Without naming Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi Yadav directly, Modi referred to them as political heirs of the so-called “jungle raj” and suggested that their rivalry was already evident in seats where both parties had fielded candidates.
He mentioned the Kutumba constituency, where the RJD had initially planned to contest against state Congress president Rajesh Kumar, describing such incidents as signs of internal conflict. Modi predicted a record victory for the National Democratic Alliance and asserted that the ruling coalition would continue to provide stable and visionary governance aimed at building a prosperous Bihar as part of a developed India.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Bihar’s voters had not forgotten the period of lawlessness under earlier regimes and said that the current government’s honest manifesto reflected its genuine commitment to the future. He contrasted this with what he described as a deceptive set of promises offered by the opposition alliance. Modi added that his government envisioned a Bihar where youth would find employment within the state and contribute to its growth rather than being forced to migrate for work.
He highlighted achievements under the NDA government, including improved electricity connectivity and financial inclusion programs for small farmers who had long been ignored. Modi also praised the contribution of Bhojpur and surrounding districts to the armed forces and reiterated his administration’s commitment to national security. He mentioned that the One Rank One Pension initiative had already led to the disbursement of one lakh crore rupees to servicemen’s families.
Referring to national policies, the Prime Minister said that his government had fulfilled its promise to revoke Article 370, ensuring full constitutional integration of Jammu and Kashmir. He also cited Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s successful counter-terrorism efforts, adding that opposition leaders had been disturbed when India struck terror camps across the border.
Modi accused the RJD and Congress of prioritizing only two political families—one associated with corruption in Bihar and the other at the national level. He recalled the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of Indira Gandhi and criticized the Congress for allegedly promoting those responsible.
Indirectly referencing the Voter Adhikar Yatra, he claimed that it aimed to protect infiltrators who threatened Bihar’s resources and warned voters to remain alert to such intentions. The Prime Minister also referred to past incidents during the RJD regime, such as the abduction of a doctor in Tarari and the decline of Dalmia Nagar due to Naxal violence, asserting that extortion was rampant at the time.
He announced that the NDA planned to develop Jagdishpur, the birthplace of freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh, emphasizing that his government believed in progress that preserved cultural heritage. Modi accused the Congress and RJD of disrespecting cultural traditions, citing their remarks about religious events such as the Maha Kumbh and Chhath Puja. He urged residents who had returned home for Chhath celebrations to stay and vote.
In Nawada, once affected by Maoist activity, Modi noted that the NDA had eliminated insurgency but cautioned people to remain vigilant against urban sympathizers of extremist ideologies.
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]]>Other key leaders set to actively participate in the campaign include AICC in-charge of Bihar Krishna Allavaru, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, and Congress General Secretaries K.C. Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala, and Syed Naseer Hussain. Senior leaders like Ashok Gehlot, Tariq Anwar, Gaurav Gogoi, Mohammad Jawed, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh also make the list.
The elections will take place in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the results to be announced on November 14. As part of the opposition INDIA bloc, which includes RJD, Congress, and Left parties, Congress is working alongside RJD to contest the elections.
Additionally, the RJD-led alliance has already named Tejashwi Yadav as their Chief Ministerial candidate for the Bihar polls, further intensifying the political contest in the state.
Among other prominent Congress campaigners are Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, veteran leaders Digvijaya Singh, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Meira Kumar, Charanjit Singh Channi, and several others including Pawan Khera, Imran Pratapgarhi, and Shakeel Ahmed.
With such a robust list of campaigners, Congress is positioning itself strongly in the highly contested Bihar assembly elections, hoping to secure a significant victory in the state.
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]]>Special Judge Vishal Gogne, in a detailed 244-page order, observed that there is substantial suspicion that Lalu Yadav was the key conspirator behind the scam. The court charged the trio, along with 11 others, under serious offenses including criminal conspiracy, fraud, abuse of official position and misconduct by a public servant. The court has scheduled daily hearings starting from October 27
Allegations Against the Yadav Family
According to the court’s findings, Lalu Prasad Yadav, during his tenure as Railway Minister, is alleged to have conspired with Sujata Hotels’ directors Bijay and Vinay Kochhar to manipulate the tendering process related to IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri.
The Kochhar brothers allegedly transferred a valuable plot of land in Patna to a company linked to Lalu’s close aide Prem Chand Gupta. That company eventually came under the control of the Yadav family, and the land was officially transferred to them at a highly undervalued rate.
The judge noted that the evidence points toward serious doubts about Lalu’s role in skewing the tender process for personal gain, resulting in loss to the exchequer and undue benefits to his family.
Court Rejects Political Motive Argument
The defense had argued that the case was politically motivated, especially as it has resurfaced just before elections. However, the court dismissed the claim, stating that political motivation cannot be used as a blanket defense. It also added that if today’s investigation is being labeled as politically driven, it could equally be argued that the earlier closure of the case was politically influenced.
“The court does not accept the argument of political vendetta,” the judge said.
Tejashwi Yadav Calls It Political Vendetta
In response to the court’s decision, Tejashwi Yadav maintained that the case is part of a **“political witch hunt.”** He stated:
“This is clearly a case of revenge politics. As elections approach, such cases are deliberately brought up. We respect the judiciary and will fight the case legally and politically.”
BJP Responds: “This Is the RJD Model
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticized the RJD, alleging that the party has a history of corruption.
“Taking land from the poor in exchange for job promises, manipulating contracts, and engaging in massive scams like fodder and bitumen — this is the governance model under the RJD,” he said.
Conclusion
As the case progresses, it’s poised to play a significant role in the political discourse ahead of the Bihar elections. The trial’s timing — starting just as campaigns heat up — ensures it will remain in the spotlight, with potential implications for both legal accountability and political fortunes.
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]]>Tej Pratap alleged on Saturday that, despite Lalu’s release from the prison about a year ago, he is being “kept captive in Delhi” by others who aspire to be the RJD’s national leader.
He was quoted as saying by ANI: “My father is unwell. There are 4-5 people in the party who’ve seen the dream of becoming Rashtriya Janata Dal’s national chief. He was released nearly a year ago from jail but is being held hostage in Delhi,”.
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]]>Mr Yadav said this while talking to reporters after calling on the chief minister inside the assembly premises, leading a delegation of leaders of the five-party Grand Alliance helmed by his RJD.
The Centre’s recent statement in the Parliament that a caste-based census would include only the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes has triggered a fresh demand for inclusion of the OBCs, who dominate the political scenario in Bihar post implementation of the Mandal commission report.
“The chief minister told us that he agreed with our demand for a caste based census. He said he was leaving for Delhi later in the day. Upon his return on August 02 he will write to the Prime Minister and seek an appointment”, Mr Yadav said.
The former Deputy Chief Minister has been suggesting that the chief minister should meet the PM heading a delegation, which could include the leader of the opposition, to broach the subject.
Notably, Mr Kumar, an OBC himself, too has repeatedly spoken in favour of holding a caste-based census and recently urged the centre to reconsider its stance on the issue.
Besides, resolutions in support of a caste-based census have been passed unanimously by both Houses of the state legislature in the past.
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