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Bihar gears up for the big verdict on November 14 will Nitish Kumar script a record tenth term, or will Tejashwi Yadav’s INDIA bloc pull off a generational shift in state politics? The two-phase battle has set the stage for a dramatic finish.
All eyes on November 14 counting day
Patna: Bihar’s high-voltage assembly election is approaching its decisive moment, with results to be announced on November 14, 2025. The state went to polls in two phases across 243 constituencies, determining whether Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s NDA retains power or the RJD-led INDIA bloc stages a historic comeback.
The first phase, held on November 6, covered 121 constituencies across 18 districts and witnessed a 65.08% voter turnout, significantly higher than the 57.29% recorded in the 2020 polls. The second phase, scheduled for November 11, will see voting for the remaining 122 seats across 20 districts, including key battlegrounds such as Gaya, Nawada, Jamui, Bhagalpur, and Purnia.
Bihar Election: Campaigning wraps up for 122 seats ahead of final Phase voting on 11 November
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar confirmed that the first phase concluded peacefully and highlighted a nearly 8% surge in voter participation, indicating higher public engagement in this crucial election.
The ruling NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and smaller allies, currently commands 132 MLAs in the outgoing assembly comfortably above the 122-seat majority mark.
The RJD, which emerged as the single largest party in 2020, holds 75 seats, followed by the Congress (19) and CPI(ML)-Liberation (12).
For Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, this election is a test of endurance and political reinvention. Having held power for nearly two decades, the JD(U) leader has switched alliances multiple times since 2020. His deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha are spearheading the BJP’s campaign under the NDA banner.
On the opposition front, Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader and son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, is banking on issues like unemployment, inflation, and governance fatigue to energize young voters and position the INDIA bloc as a viable alternative.
Adding an unexpected twist to this election is the political debut of Prashant Kishor, the strategist-turned-politician who now leads the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP). Contesting across all 243 seats, Kishor’s party presents itself as a third front, aiming to break the bipolar NDA–INDIA narrative. His entry has drawn attention, especially among first-time voters and urban constituencies.
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In the 2020 assembly elections, the NDA narrowly retained power with 125 seats the BJP winning 74 and the JD(U) 43. Despite the RJD’s strong performance, Nitish Kumar managed to form the government with BJP support.
Since then, Bihar’s political scene has seen shifting alliances, including Nitish’s brief return to the RJD in 2022 before rejoining the NDA in 2024.
The counting of votes on November 14 will determine whether Nitish Kumar secures a record tenth term or Tejashwi Yadav ushers in a generational change in Bihar politics.
