The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections have delivered one of the most dramatic and decisive mandates in the state’s political history. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has stormed to power with a landslide victory—clinching 204 seats in the 243-member Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark and leaving the Opposition bloc in disarray. The Mahagathbandhan, which had projected itself as the coalition of change, was reduced to a mere 32 seats, marking one of its weakest performances in over a decade.

This resounding result is reshaping Bihar’s political narrative on multiple fronts: record voter turnout—especially among women—massive swings in key constituencies, major defeats of high-profile leaders, and the emergence of a new generation of MLAs.

Congress’s Worst Showing in Years: Just 3 Seats Out of 61

For the Indian National Congress, the 2025 Bihar mandate has been nothing short of a political shockwave. Contesting 61 seats, the party managed to win just three — Forbesganj, Kishanganj, and Manihari. While Congress held faint leads in Valmiki Nagar, Chanpatia, and Araria at certain points in the counting process, the final picture reflected its diminished relevance in the state’s political landscape.

This is one of the party’s poorest performances in Bihar in recent memory, continuing a downward trend that began years ago and intensified after 2020.

PM Modi Signals Next Battlefront After Bihar Sweep: ‘Now Bengal’s Jungle Raj Will End’

Celebrating the NDA’s massive victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a message that resonated far beyond Bihar. Addressing supporters, he remarked:

“Ganga flows through Bihar and reaches Bengal. Bihar has also paved the way for the BJP's victory in Bengal… Now, together with you, the BJP will uproot jungle raj from West Bengal as well.”

The statement signals a renewed national political push, positioning Bihar’s results as a momentum-builder for the BJP’s next major battleground: West Bengal.

Maithili Thakur Makes History as Youngest MLA at 25

One of the most striking outcomes of this election is the victory of celebrated folk singer Maithili Thakur, who at the age of 25, won the Alinagar Assembly seat on a BJP ticket. Her sweeping win marks her entry into active politics and earns her the title of Bihar’s youngest sitting MLA.

Her popularity, cultural influence, and clean public image helped her connect across communities, positioning her as a fresh and dynamic voice in Bihar’s evolving political landscape.

Nitish Kumar Set for 10th Term as Chief Minister

Following the NDA’s thumping victory, Nitish Kumar is set to become Chief Minister for a record 10th time, reaffirming his rare political resilience spanning over two decades. While thanking voters, he pledged to further accelerate Bihar’s development and bring it closer to the category of India’s most developed states.

Despite anti-incumbency murmurs, Nitish Kumar’s legacy of governance reforms and social welfare initiatives seems to have played a major role in consolidating the NDA’s appeal—especially among women.

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary Wins Big

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary secured a significant victory from Tarapur, defeating his opponent by a margin of 45,843 votes. His win strengthens his position within the BJP leadership in Bihar and reinforces his growing influence in the state’s political hierarchy.

The Silent Revolution: How Women Voters Powered NDA’s Massive Win

Beyond the seat tallies and political waves, the 2025 Bihar elections will be remembered for one defining phenomenon: women voters emerging as the state’s most powerful electoral force.

Historic Turnout: Women Outvoted Men for the First Time Ever

Bihar witnessed its highest voter turnout since 1951—with an overall turnout of 66.91%. But the real story lies in the gender divide:

• Women’s turnout: 71.6%

• Men’s turnout: 62.8%

For the first time in the state’s electoral history, women not only outnumbered men at polling booths but also set new records. The gap—nearly nine percentage points—is unprecedented and has dramatically shifted Bihar’s political equation.

Phase-wise Turnout Trend

• Phase 1: Women – 69.04% | Men – 61.56%

• Phase 2: Women – 74.03% | Men – 64.1%

These numbers underline a steady and powerful trend: women have become Bihar’s most decisive political constituency.

Why Women Backed the NDA

Multiple factors contributed to women voters’ overwhelming support for the NDA.

1. Welfare Schemes with Tangible Impact

A central talking point during the campaign was the ₹10,000 assistance provided to women to help start small enterprises. The NDA’s advantage lay in the fact that:

• The scheme had already been implemented, delivering money directly to beneficiaries.

• The Mahagathbandhan’s competing promise remained only a campaign pledge.

For many women, the certainty of already-received benefits outweighed promises of future support.

2. Two Decades of Policy Continuity Under Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar’s long-standing initiatives have shaped women’s empowerment in Bihar through:

• Panchayati raj reservations

• Increased presence of women in local governance

• The Jeevika self-help group (SHG) movement

• Expansion of women’s roles in rural economic networks

These systemic reforms created a strong base of support among women across caste and class lines.

3. Employment and Entrepreneurship Push

The NDA’s 2025 manifesto included:

• Employment schemes for 22 lakh women

• A plan to create 1 crore “Lakhpati Didis”

• Mission Crorepati: a push for women-led enterprises

This emphasis on sustainable, long-term empowerment resonated strongly with women voters who had already experienced the benefits of earlier SHG-led development models.

4. Women as Strategic Voters

The 2025 results clearly show that women have transitioned from being passive participants to decisive political actors, shaping electoral outcomes with strategic clarity.

Major Leaders and Parties Who Lost in the 2025 Bihar Elections

This election witnessed both historic victories and shocking defeats. Several prominent leaders failed to secure their seats, while a few lost by razor-thin margins.

1. Tej Pratap Yadav

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s elder son and founder of Janshakti Janta Dal, Tej Pratap Yadav, suffered a major blow, finishing third in Mahua.
Results:

• LJP (RV)’s Sanjay Kumar Singh: 87,641 votes

• RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Raushan: 42,644 votes

• Tej Pratap Yadav: 35,703 votes

His expulsion from the RJD earlier in the year and formation of his own party didn’t translate into electoral traction.

2. Khesari Lal Yadav

Bhojpuri superstar Khesari Lal Yadav (Shatrughan Yadav), contesting from Chapra on an RJD ticket, was defeated by the BJP’s Chhoti Kumari.
Votes:

• Chhoti Kumari (BJP): 86,845

• Khesari Lal Yadav: 79,245

3. Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh

The richest candidate of the 2025 Bihar elections, Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh (VIP), lost from Lauriya to BJP’s Vinay Bihari by 26,966 votes.

4. Manish Kashyap

YouTuber Tripurari Kumar Tiwary, known as Manish Kashyap, contested under the Jan Suraaj Party but couldn’t clinch victory, though he was among the few JSP candidates to secure over 10% vote share.

5. Shivani Shukla

RJD candidate Shivani Shukla, daughter of strongman Munna Shukla, lost from Lalganj to BJP’s Sanjay Kumar Singh by over 32,000 votes.

6. Uday Narayan Choudhary

Former Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary, who shifted constituencies after four decades, lost to HAM (Secular)’s Praphull Kumar Manjhi by more than 23,000 votes.

7. Tejashwi Yadav & RJD

Despite winning Raghopur, Tejashwi Yadav couldn’t stop his party from recording its second-worst performance ever, leading in just 19 seats.

8. Congress & Rahul Gandhi

Congress collapsed to single digits, continuing its slide from 2020. Rahul Gandhi’s multiple campaigns, including the Voter Adhikar Yatra, failed to sway the electorate.

9. Prashant Kishor

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor couldn’t convert his two-year padyatra into electoral gains. His Jan Suraaj Party even fell behind the NOTA count in several seats.

10. Mukesh Sahani

Despite being projected as a key Mahagathbandhan face, his VIP failed to secure seats; the Nishad vote drifted toward the NDA.

11. INDIA Bloc

Seat-sharing conflicts and unclear leadership made the alliance ineffective. Their combined lead of just 32 seats reflects a severe setback ahead of upcoming elections.

Closest Contests of the 2025 Bihar Polls

Several constituencies witnessed nail-biting battles:

• Dipu Singh (RJD) lost to Radha Charan Sah (JDU) by just 27 votes — the narrowest margin of the election.

• Shiv Prakash Ranjan (CPI-ML) lost to Mahesh Paswan (BJP) by 95 votes.

• In Dhaka, Pawan Kumar Jaiswal (BJP) lost to Faisal Rahman (RJD) by 178 votes.

• Vidya Sagar Keshari (BJP) lost Forbesganj to Manoj Bishwas (Congress) by 221 votes.

• In Balrampur, Mohammad Adil Hasan (AIMIM) was defeated by Sangita Devi (LJP-RV) by 389 votes.

Biggest Winners of Bihar Elections 2025

As counting wrapped up, a clear picture emerged of the forces that shaped the mandate.

1. Nitish Kumar

Despite two decades in power, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) performed strongly, leading in over 80 seats. The NDA’s tally beyond 200 cements his political dominance and ensures him another term.

2. Chirag Paswan

Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas) staged a remarkable comeback, winning 22 of 29 seats. The consolidation of Dalit votes and his appeal among the youth played a crucial role.

3. AIMIM and Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM secured four seats in Seemanchal—Jokihat, Kochadhaman, Amour and Baisi—matching its 2020 performance and solidifying its regional base.

4. NDA Allies

Smaller NDA allies performed exceptionally:

• HAM: 5 out of 6 seats

• LJP (RV): 20 seats

• RLM: 4 seats

A New Political Era for Bihar

The 2025 Bihar Assembly election marks a watershed moment. The NDA’s historic mandate reflects a complex interplay of governance credibility, strategic welfare delivery, women’s political awakening, and the Opposition’s disarray.

More importantly, the record-breaking participation of women voters has redefined the state’s electoral landscape. Their unprecedented involvement not only propelled the NDA to victory but signaled a new chapter where women emerge as Bihar’s most influential voting bloc.

As Nitish Kumar prepares for a 10th term and the BJP looks toward national expansion, Bihar stands at the cusp of significant transformation—politically, socially, and electorally.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Vygr Media.