By Avinash Kumar |
New Delhi [India], November 14 (ANI): The 2025 Bihar Assembly polls were widely considered a litmus test for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Yet, true to form, Nitish once again steered Bihar’s politics around himself—a pattern he has repeated in every assembly election for over 20 years.
Often criticised by the opposition as “paltu ram” (a frequent turncoat), Nitish Kumar has nonetheless maintained a firm political base. His lasting popularity stems from a focus on tangible development and inclusive growth. Having consistently delivered on promises—improving rural infrastructure, expanding welfare schemes, and offering direct financial assistance—he has earned trust across Bihar’s socio-economic spectrum.
Voters remember his fulfilled commitments and value steady progress over lofty rhetoric. Nitish Kumar’s pragmatic and inclusive approach has bridged long-standing social and developmental gaps, exceeding historically low expectations. His governance continues to resonate with voters even after two decades in power.
Recent initiatives have further strengthened his image, including pensions for widows, seniors, and differently-abled citizens; doubling salaries for night guards and PT teachers; and offering ₹10,000 assistance to nearly one crore women.
Nitish Kumar’s support cuts across caste lines. His base includes 10% of Hindu upper castes, over 4% of Kushwahas, more than 5% of Paswans, over 3% of Musahars, and 2.6% of Mallahs. This broad appeal, rooted in development-focused governance, has helped sustain his long reign.
His emphasis on infrastructure, education, and healthcare has benefited diverse groups, while outreach to marginalised communities, including Muslims, has helped bridge social divides. Nitish’s ability to balance competing interests while adapting politically has ensured his longevity.
Early election trends indicate a powerful NDA performance, with JD(U) and BJP leading in several seats. Nitish Kumar appears to have passed the political test with ease. Pre-election slogans like “25 se 30, phir se Nitish” attempted to portray him as the NDA’s weak link following JD(U)’s decline in 2015 and 2020, but his political instincts once again prevailed.
As per early trends at 11:00 AM, JD(U) was leading in 77 seats—a gain of 34 compared to 2020—and NDA as a whole was leading in 180 seats. Bihar also recorded a strong turnout of 67.13%, which analysts attribute to intense competition rather than anti-incumbency.
Nitish’s governance has been marked by development and inclusivity, which has helped him win over communities—including Muslims—traditionally opposed to the BJP. His schemes have driven economic growth, improved infrastructure, and raised living standards, making him a formidable political figure.
Nitish Kumar’s political journey reflects adaptability and strategic growth. Influenced by leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia, SN Sinha, Karpuri Thakur, and VP Singh, he emerged from the JP movement (1974–1977) as a recognised political figure. Joining the Janata Party, he won his first assembly election from Harnaut in 1985 and became a voice for backward communities and secular governance.
He later joined the BJP, winning the Lok Sabha seat from Barh in 1996. His tenure as Railway Minister (2001–2004) highlighted his development-centric approach, including senior citizen concessions, improved facilities for disabled passengers, and major gauge conversion works.
His first stint as Bihar Chief Minister in 2000 lasted just seven days after failing to prove a majority. However, this setback marked a turning point. Since 2005, except for a nine-month gap in 2014–15, Nitish has remained Bihar’s Chief Minister—positioning him to join India’s longest-serving leaders like Pawan Kumar Chamling, Naveen Patnaik, and Jyoti Basu.
“People of Bihar voted for justice, development”: Giriraj Singh projects NDA’s landslide victory
Updated: Nov 14, 2025 11:02 IST
New Delhi [India], November 14 (ANI): Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday projected a landslide victory for the NDA in the Bihar Assembly elections, as the ruling alliance surged ahead in early trends.
“I was saying from day one that we will have a landslide victory. The people of Bihar have voted for peace, justice and development,” Singh told ANI.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore, however, alleged large-scale deletion of opposition votes, claiming that “democracy cannot survive if the playing field is uneven.” He alleged that 65 lakh voters—mostly opposition supporters—had been removed from voter lists.
Despite the claims, the NDA crossed the halfway mark of 122 seats early in the day. According to leads on 229 seats, NDA was ahead in 167 constituencies, with BJP leading in 71 and JD(U) in 72. Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) led in 18 seats. BJP and JD(U) maintained high conversion rates of 67% and 64%.
Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan trailed with only 60 leads. RJD led in 43 seats, Congress in 8, and CPI(ML)-L in 6. AIMIM was ahead in two seats.
Prominent leaders like Deputy CMs Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary were leading in Lakhisarai and Tarapur, respectively. BJP’s Mangal Pandey led in Siwan, while RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav held a lead in Raghopur.
Vote counting began at 8 AM with strict security arrangements, involving 4,372 counting tables and over 18,000 agents. Exit polls had widely predicted an NDA victory, though some suggested a closer contest.
The 2025 polls were held in two phases, with 2,616 candidates from 12 recognised parties. No repolling was requested in any constituency.
The NDA and Mahagathbandhan have remained the principal contenders in Bihar politics. In 2020, NDA won 125 seats, installing Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister. However, in 2022, Nitish broke with the BJP and joined the RJD-Congress alliance, emerging as a key INDIA bloc architect—only to return to the NDA in January 2024.
While BJP improved its performance between 2015 and 2020, RJD also remained strong. JD(U), however, saw declining numbers in the last two polls—falling from 71 seats in 2015 to 43 in 2020. Congress too declined from 27 seats in 2015 to 19 in 2020.
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