In the wake of Bihar’s recent assembly elections, the state finds itself at the crossroads of political upheaval and ambitious economic transformation. On December 6, 2025, two of Bihar’s most prominent leaders—Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav—offered starkly contrasting visions for the state’s future, with each making headlines for very different reasons.
Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly, broke his public silence following a heavy defeat in the polls by leveling serious allegations against the electoral process. Speaking to a private news channel, Tejashwi accused unnamed “invisible forces” of orchestrating what he described as “badi beimani”—large-scale use of unfair means—in the recently concluded assembly elections. He questioned the integrity of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming, “The postal ballots showed the INDIA bloc was leading in 143 assembly constituencies out of the state’s total 243, but the EVMs delivered a different verdict.” According to The Times of India, he quipped, “EVMs badlao nahin chahta tha, ballot chahta tha (Ballots wanted change, EVMs did not).”
Despite his strong language, Tejashwi admitted he lacked “scientific evidence” to back up his claims but insisted, “I can sense and smell that there were some invisible forces which played their part.” He went on to lament the absence of a level playing field in the elections, stating, “Matlab chunav ka koi matlab nahin tha...Sab kuchh fixed tha (Meaning there was no point in conducting elections as everything was fixed).” He expressed frustration that doubts and complaints raised by the opposition were not addressed, further fueling suspicions about the fairness of the process.
Among his most pointed criticisms was the timing of government welfare payments. Tejashwi alleged that the ruling coalition distributed around Rs 40,000 crore in poll-related announcements, and that sums of Rs 10,000 were credited to women’s bank accounts on the very day of polling. “The govt distributed around Rs 40,000 crore for different poll announcements and nobody took notice of them,” he said, suggesting that the ruling alliance “left nothing to chance.” He mocked the ruling parties, saying, “BJP-JD(U)-walon ne kuchh bhi nahin chhoda.”
Tejashwi also highlighted what he saw as a disconnect between the popular will and the election outcome. He pointed out that the INDIA bloc received 1.90 crore votes—32 lakh more than in the previous election—arguing that this indicated a public desire for change. “Obviously the people wanted change, not to vote for the 20-year-old govt,” he asserted. Yet, the outcome favored the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), leading Tejashwi to describe it as the “victory of machinery.” He questioned whether migrant workers, often outside the state for employment, had been able to cast their votes or whether their absence skewed the results.
He further critiqued the so-called “Nitish Model,” characterizing it as “Doing nothing for five years but distributing money to everyone three months before the start of assembly polls.” Tejashwi found it suspicious that voting patterns were strikingly similar across diverse regions of Bihar—Seemanchal, Magadh, Champaran, Purvanchal, and Kosi—remarking, “How can that be?” He concluded, “Pura chunao me badi beimani hui hai (There was large-scale use of unfair means in the entire election).”
In addition to his concerns about the election’s fairness, Tejashwi denied any infighting among INDIA bloc allies and instead turned his attention to the issue of nepotism. He criticized the ruling coalition for awarding cabinet berths to family members of Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Upendra Kushwaha, and mocked the NDA’s frequent invocation of the “Jungle Raj” narrative. “The jungle raj issue can only be explained by comparing NCRB data, which shows that criminal incidents have increased post-2005,” he argued. However, he struck a defiant note, saying, “But the BJP won’t be the winner always. We are not going to be cowed down by their threats. Our responsibility is to save the Constitution...Well, time is not favourable for us right now, but BJP ka ektarfa raj karne ka sapna jaroor tutega.”
While Tejashwi was raising questions about the legitimacy of the electoral process, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was looking to the future, unveiling an ambitious economic agenda aimed at propelling Bihar into the ranks of India’s top investment destinations. According to Business Standard, Nitish Kumar announced a target of attracting Rs 50 lakh crore (Rs 50 trillion) in investment over the next five years as part of a sweeping push for industrial development and job creation.
“For the rapid economic progress of any state and for generating employment, large-scale industrialisation is essential. The Bihar government has taken significant steps in this direction,” Kumar wrote in a post on X. He revealed that a high-level panel had been formed to prepare and monitor an action plan for establishing a defence corridor, semiconductor manufacturing park, global capability centre, mega tech city, and fintech city in Bihar.
To boost Bihar’s appeal to investors, the state government is promoting ease of doing business, setting up five mega food parks, developing 10 industrial parks and 100 MSME parks, and training seven lakh people in industry-relevant skills. Kumar also emphasized facilitating the export and marketing of local products, with a focus on creating a global back-end hub and workplace in Bihar.
The chief minister highlighted the state’s industrial growth over the past two decades. Since 2005, the number of industrial areas has more than doubled, from 46 to 94, and industrial units have increased from 1,674 to 3,500. Exports have soared from Rs 25 crore in 2005 to Rs 17,000 crore in 2025, and the number of MSMEs has skyrocketed from 72,000 to 35 lakh. The industrial sector’s contribution to Bihar’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has jumped from 5.4 percent to over 21 percent, which Kumar attributed to progressive policy initiatives.
To further encourage entrepreneurship and self-employment, 44,073 entrepreneurs have received incentives under the Chief Minister Entrepreneur Scheme. The government is also expediting work on the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster in Dobhi, Gaya—spanning 1,700 acres—which is slated for inauguration soon. In addition, 31 new industrial parks, including 10 sector-specific parks such as textile and pharma parks, are in the pipeline, with an estimated investment of Rs 26,000 crore.
Kumar asserted that Bihar now boasts all the essential infrastructure required for industrial growth, including improved road connectivity, rail and air links, and uninterrupted power supply. The Industries Department will be holding investor conferences in major commercial centers both in India and abroad to attract large-scale investments.
As Bihar navigates these parallel narratives—one of skepticism and political challenge, the other of economic optimism and reform—the state’s future remains a subject of intense debate. Whether the ambitious economic roadmap will quell doubts about governance or whether questions about electoral fairness will overshadow progress, only time will tell. For now, Bihar stands at an inflection point, with its leaders and people watching closely to see which vision will shape the next chapter.
