Bihar election: A day after poll debacle, Rahul calls on Kharge

BJP-led NDA ahead in 208 seats; MGB far behind at 28

The NDA is now leading in 208 seats while the Grand Alliance is leading only in 28 seats. 

VIP set for wipeout; Sahani says NDA won through ‘Rewadi’

Mukesh Sahani, who was projected by the Mahagathbandhan as its deputy chief ministerial face, appears headed for a major setback as his Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) is on track to draw a blank in the Bihar Assembly elections. The result highlights what many see as a misreading of ground realities by the opposition alliance.

Speaking to NDTV, Sahani said he accepted the mandate but argued that the NDA’s victory was driven by “freebies”. He claimed the Election Commission ignored repeated opposition complaints about vote theft. “We respect the mandate… In PM Modi's language, the NDA is forming a government by distributing ‘rewadi’. We saw this in how Nitish Kumar got the women's vote by transferring Rs 10,000 to their accounts,” he said. He added that Nitish Kumar “managed to save his government by distributing Rs 10,000,” calling this his “last election”.

Sahani also said the opposition had raised concerns through the voter adhikar yatra with Rahul Gandhi, alleging many names were unfairly removed from voter lists. “But that did not happen,” he said, adding that an internal review would be done with Mahagathbandhan allies.

After tough negotiations, the VIP was allotted 12 seats by the RJD, Congress and other allies, with Sahani also securing agreement on being named deputy chief minister if the alliance won.

After Bihar surge, BJP sets sights on West Bengal

The BJP today used its strong performance in the Bihar assembly election to signal its next political focus, Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal, which votes in 2026. As counting trends showed the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) heading for a decisive victory in Bihar, senior party leader and IT cell head Amit Malviya said the mandate reflected the NDA’s “credibility” and would carry direct implications for West Bengal.

Speaking to NDTV, Malviya argued that the results highlighted “the kind of work that the NDA government has been doing,” especially in areas related to youth employment and women’s economic empowerment. He credited Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP’s Bihar unit for “creating opportunities for the youth” and for “enabling women to start their own businesses,” suggesting that these policies had shaped voter sentiment.

Malviya also drew a sharp contrast with what he described as the “disastrous 15 years of Lalu Prasad Yadav,” a period he claimed had hindered Bihar’s progress. By invoking this comparison, he framed the NDA’s performance as a rejection of past governance models and an endorsement of current development strategies, signalling that the BJP intends to take this narrative into the political battleground of West Bengal next.

AIMIM’s Pathan questions RJD, says Muslims deserve representation

AIMIM leader Waris Pathan has sharply criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over its performance in the Bihar elections, questioning the party’s treatment of Muslim voters and leaders. Pointing to the community’s sizable presence in the state, he said, “19 per cent of them in Bihar are Muslims. Is there no one among them who could become the Deputy Chief Minister or the Chief Minister?”

Pathan also condemned remarks made by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, saying, “Tejashwi called our party president an extremist... He should apologise to all the Muslims," reported NDTV. He argued that the AIMIM’s electoral performance showed growing support and underlined that the party had urged the Mahagathbandhan to fight together.

“We had already told the Mahagathbandhan members that we should fight together to prevent the division of secular votes and we had asked for six seats. But there was arrogance...” he said, holding the opposition alliance responsible for ignoring AIMIM’s warnings about splitting votes.

BJP leads in 95 seats, JD(U) 81; RJD 26, Congress 3

The BJP is leading in 95 seats, and its NDA alliance partner is leading in 81 seats. As for the Opposition, the RJD is leading in 26 seats and Congress is leading only in three seats. 

AIMIM ahead in six constituencies in Bihar polls

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is putting up a strong performance in the Bihar Assembly elections, with the party currently leading in six constituencies. According to the latest trends, AIMIM has established leads in Jokihat, Bahadurganj, Thakurganj, Kochadhaman, Amour and Biasi.

These results indicate a notable presence for the party in the Seemanchal region, where it has traditionally held influence. As counting continues, AIMIM’s performance is emerging as a key factor in several multi-cornered contests across the region.

NDA leads 204 seats as Nitish heads for fifth term

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar appeared poised for a sweeping victory, with the latest trends indicating the coalition leading in 204 of the state’s 243 assembly seats. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar looked set to secure a fifth consecutive term, strengthening his position as Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister.

As of 2:45 pm, the NDA had already surpassed its 2020 performance, when it won 122 seats. This strong showing placed the alliance far ahead of the Opposition Mahagathbandhan, which was leading in only 32 constituencies.

Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, making its electoral debut, was unable to secure a lead in any of the seats. The trends underscored the NDA’s dominance across Bihar as counting continued.

Mukesh Sahani’s VIP trails in all 12 seats as NDA surges

Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani, who negotiated hard with the opposition Grand Alliance for 12 seats and even sought the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, is now facing a complete reversal of fortunes. His party, which had won four seats in 2020, is trailing in all 12 constituencies this time. The Mahagathbandhan itself is ahead in only 38 seats, while the NDA has surged past the 200-seat mark in the 243-member assembly.

Sahani chose not to contest the election and instead fielded his brother Santosh Sahani from Gaura Bauram. However, BJP candidate Sujit Kumar is leading there by over 7,000 votes, with both Santosh and RJD’s Afzal Ali far behind.

Sahani had risen rapidly in Bihar’s political landscape by leveraging his influence among the Mallah, Sahani and Nishad communities, which together make up nearly 9 per cent of the state’s electorate. In 2020, he made his electoral debut by winning four seats, all contributing to the NDA’s tally. His party had also finished second in six seats, losing three by margins under 7,000 votes, with a vote share of 1.52 per cent,reported NDTV.

Confident of expanding his footprint, Sahani branded himself the “son of mallah” during this campaign, even amid reports of tensions within the Grand Alliance. Before entering politics, he worked as a Bollywood set designer and later founded Mukesh Cineworld Pvt Ltd before returning to Bihar to focus on community upliftment. His rise drew the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who brought him into the BJP fold, where he became a star campaigner before launching the VIP in 2018.

JD(U) credits women voters as NDA crosses 200-seat mark

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossed the 200-seat mark in the latest trends of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, with the Janata Dal (United) crediting women voters for the mandate. In a post on X, the party said, “The trust of Bihar’s women has triumphed… The NDA has triumphed, Bihar has triumphed,” noting the historic turnout in which women voted at a higher rate than men. Bihar recorded 67.13 per cent polling, the highest since 1951, with women turning out at 71.6 per cent compared to 62.8 per cent for men.

The NDA, which had won 206 seats in 2010, appears poised to reach a similar tally as it currently leads in 203 seats, buoyed by strong performances from both the BJP and JD(U). As of 1:40 pm, the alliance is ahead in 202 seats, with the BJP leading in 91, JD(U) in 80, LJP in 22, HAM in 5, and RLM in 4.

On the Opposition front, the RJD leads in 26 seats, Congress in 4, CPI(ML) in 4, and CPI-M in 1, totalling 35. The BSP leads in one seat, while AIMIM is ahead in five.

For Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has helmed the state for nearly twenty years, the election is seen as a crucial test of public trust and political staying power.

BJP hails NDA landslide, says Bihar backs Modi’s agenda

The BJP on Friday celebrated the National Democratic Alliance’s strong showing in the Bihar Assembly elections, saying voters had once again backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “development-focussed” governance. With the BJP-led NDA holding leads in more than 180 of the 243 seats, party leaders said the alliance was on course for its biggest victory yet, supported by an “excellent strike rate”.

“NDA heading towards a landslide victory in Bihar,” BJP MP and chief spokesperson Anil Baluni posted on X, sharing footage of Modi’s campaign speeches in the state where he had predicted a record-breaking win. BJP MP Sambit Patra echoed the sentiment, writing in Bhojpuri that “Bihar recorded a landslide victory” and that the “Modi-Nitish pair became a hit”.

As early trends showed the Congress slipping to one of its weakest performances, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying the party had “lost its legacy and credibility” under his leadership. “Rahul's gift to the Congress on Nehruji's birth anniversary: 95 losses again and again!” he wrote on X.

Another spokesperson, Gopal Krishna Agarwal, said Bihar voters had reaffirmed their faith in Modi’s development agenda. Meanwhile, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya targeted the RJD, noting that “both of Lalu’s sons are trailing at this moment,” adding that echoes of “jungle raj” were still present in the state.

(With agency inputs)