Supporters flooded the streets of Patna, waving flags and setting off firecrackers, as news broke on November 14, 2025: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had clinched a landslide victory in Bihar’s legislative assembly elections. The Election Commission’s results confirmed what many exit polls had hinted—Modi’s coalition swept 202 out of 243 seats, far surpassing the simple majority of 122 required to form a government. For a state with nearly 130 million people and 74 million registered voters, this was no ordinary contest. The stakes were as high as they come, and the outcome is expected to reverberate across India’s political landscape for years.
For Modi, whose federal government has relied on regional allies since falling short of a solo majority in last year’s national elections, this win in Bihar is a crucial shot in the arm. As BBC News put it, "the result is not just a victory for his alliance but for democracy itself." Modi himself echoed this sentiment, stating on social platform X, "This resounding public mandate will empower us to serve the people and work with new resolve for Bihar." The win not only strengthens Modi’s hand ahead of upcoming state polls in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam, but it also solidifies his coalition’s grip on power at the center.
Bihar’s importance in Indian politics can hardly be overstated. As the country’s third-most populous state, it sends 40 lawmakers to the 543-seat lower house of parliament—making it a political bellwether for the Hindi-speaking heartland. The two-phase election, held on November 6 and 11, was closely watched, not just for its outcome but for what it revealed about the evolving dynamics of Indian democracy. Voter turnout hit a record 66.91%, the highest since Bihar’s first elections in 1951, according to the Election Commission. Notably, women turned out in unprecedented numbers, with 71.6% of eligible female voters casting their ballots compared to 62.8% of men.
Many analysts have pointed to this surge in female participation as a decisive factor. As Al Jazeera and Reuters reported, Modi’s government had, in September, transferred 10,000 rupees (about $113) each to 7.5 million women as part of the Chief Minister’s Women Employment Scheme. The program, amounting to roughly $880 million, aimed to boost women’s involvement in small enterprises, agriculture, and handicrafts. "The assistance can be utilised in areas of the choice of the beneficiary, including agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts, tailoring, weaving, and other small-scale enterprises," Modi’s office said. This move was widely seen as a strategic play to win over women, who make up nearly half of Bihar’s electorate and have, since 2010, outpaced men in voter turnout. Political analyst Rasheed Kidwai called it a "game changer," arguing that "they have cracked the art of winning elections" by appealing to people’s hopes and aspirations.
At the heart of the NDA’s success was its robust alliance. The BJP, with 89 seats, joined forces with the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who secured 85 seats. Kumar, now 74, has governed Bihar for nearly two decades and is credited with significant improvements in infrastructure and law and order. Once a political rival of Modi, Kumar’s return to the NDA fold was pivotal; his party’s 12 lawmakers are essential to Modi’s federal coalition. Other NDA partners, such as the Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas), also played key roles, together propelling the alliance to a commanding majority.
The opposition, by contrast, found itself floundering. The Grand Alliance, or Mahagathbandhan, headed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress party, managed to lead in just 33 seats. The RJD, historically dominant in regions like Raghopur, saw its de facto chief Tejashwi Yadav in a tense contest. At one point, Yadav trailed behind BJP’s Satish Kumar, though he later pulled ahead by 13,000 votes with most ballots counted. The Congress, meanwhile, was leading in only five seats, with a meager 8.7% vote share. Newer players like Jan Suraaj, launched by former poll strategist Prashant Kishor, failed to make significant inroads.
Yet, the election was not without controversy. In September, the Election Commission removed 4.7 million names from Bihar’s voter rolls, citing large-scale migration, new eligible voters, and unreported deaths. This left 74.2 million registered voters. The opposition accused the commission of disenfranchising poor and minority voters, particularly Muslims and disadvantaged castes, who often support the RJD-Congress alliance. As BBC News and Al Jazeera reported, the opposition argued that new voter ID requirements disproportionately affected those without proper documentation. However, both the BJP and the Election Commission denied any political motivation, insisting the revision was necessary and fair. Despite the uproar, the election results suggest the issue did not sway the broader electorate.
The historic turnout of women and the NDA’s targeted welfare programs overshadowed opposition claims. As Reuters noted, both major alliances offered financial assistance schemes for women, but the NDA’s efforts seemed to resonate more. Since 2006, Bihar has reserved 50% of seats in local bodies for women, gradually increasing their political clout. This year, their high turnout and engagement may have been the tipping point.
For Bihar, the results mark a new chapter. The state, long associated with poverty and out-migration, has seen steady improvements in recent years, particularly in infrastructure and governance. Nitish Kumar’s tenure is widely credited with ending chronic law-and-order issues. Still, challenges remain—unemployment and economic development are persistent concerns, and the opposition’s warnings about disenfranchisement will likely continue to echo in the background.
Looking ahead, the Bihar election is seen as a bellwether for Indian politics. With state polls looming in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, where the BJP has struggled to gain a foothold, the party’s performance in Bihar sets the tone for future contests. As Ashok Malik of The Asia Group told the Associated Press, "The victory renews Modi’s and NDA’s political capital. India can be reasonably optimistic about political and policy continuity."
For now, the NDA’s sweep in Bihar stands as a testament to the enduring pull of coalition politics, strategic welfare initiatives, and the growing influence of women in the world’s largest democracy.
