On the eve of counting for the Bihar Assembly elections, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav issued a statement on social media saying Bihar's people are alert and capable of dealing with any improper unconstitutional activity. The BJP criticized this and a warning from another RJD leader about a Nepal-like situation if counting was halted, calling it a sign of Opposition despair as the NDA prepares to return to power. The elections, held in two phases on November 6 and 11, saw intense campaigning from both sides. Tejashwi, 36, and incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, 74, led their respective coalitions with extensive public outreach. Tejashwi held 171 public meetings, the most among all campaigners, while Nitish conducted 84 events despite health concerns. Counting is set to begin at 8 am on Friday, starting with postal ballots. Bihar recorded a historic voter turnout of 67.13% in these elections.
Campaign Efforts and Key Leaders
Tejashwi Yadav emerged as the most visible campaigner, holding 171 public meetings, sometimes as many as 18 in a single day. Declared the Chief Minister candidate by the Mahagathbandhan after Congress conceded, he focused on unemployment, education, and promised one government job per family. Nitish Kumar, despite health concerns, held 84 campaign events including 11 road shows, emphasizing his government's development record. LJP chief Chirag Paswan conducted 173 meetings, outnumbering all others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held 14 rallies and two roadshows, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted 36 public programmes. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held 30 meetings, raising Hindutva and law-and-order issues.
Congress and Alliance Dynamics
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed 15 rallies between October 29 and November 9, starting 23 days after elections were announced. He focused on unemployment, inflation, and alleged NDA failures. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held around 13 meetings, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed six rallies centered around Dalit constituencies. However, the Mahagathbandhan's failure to announce formal seat-sharing exposed alliance weaknesses. Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi held only two joint rallies in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav addressed 25 rallies, mostly for RJD, despite SP not fielding any candidate. The brief campaigning window following the October 6 announcement saw varied coalition coordination.
Source: Link