The Bihar assembly election results reveal a decisive victory for the National Democratic Alliance, which is leading in over 180 seats. The contest has primarily become a race between alliance partners BJP and JD(U) for the position of single-largest party. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, led by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, has suffered a significant setback, with leads dropping below 50 constituencies, while Congress trails in single digits. The 2020 single-largest party RJD could not replicate its earlier performance. The NDA's success is attributed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's welfare schemes, particularly the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, and strong support from women voters. Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV) emerged as a major winner, leading in 22 seats. The Opposition Mahagathbandhan's promises, including government jobs and cash transfers, failed to resonate with voters against the NDA's governance record.
NDA Partners Dominate, RJD and Congress Struggle
The JD(U) exceeded expectations by performing significantly better than the anticipated 60-65 seats, helped by the return of Chirag Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha to the alliance fold. The mutual vote conversion among the five-party coalition proved crucial. Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV) justified its allocation of 29 seats by leading in 22, establishing him as an important stakeholder in state politics. Smaller allies like Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM(S) and Kushwaha's RLM also performed well on their six seats each. Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav failed to expand beyond his Muslim-Yadav base and could not match Nitish Kumar's appeal. Congress performed worse than its 19 seats in 2020, leading in only five out of 61 constituencies this time.
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