Bihar Assembly Election Results 2025 LIVE: This Victory Has Enthused Us To Take State To Newer Heights, Says PM Modi

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram-Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan hailed the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) resounding victory in the Bihar elections, slamming the Congress and RJD for "provocative politics".

He further added that the opposition keeps blaming EVMs and officials, while "finding fault everywhere", keeps Congress and RJD from achieving anything.
The LJP (RV) won 19 seats out of the total 29 seats it contested.

Speaking to ANI, Paswan said, "Yesterday, they stated that an atmosphere similar to that of Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be created in India. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi repeatedly says that Gen Z should play their role. This is provocative politics."
The Union Minister criticised the opposition for its habitual blame game. "Finding fault with every issue, blaming EVMs, and blaming officials. If they spent as much time on their own assessment as they do on finding fault, then Congress and RJD would likely achieve something better. Bihari tolerates personal comments that go below the limits... The 'Mahagathbandhan' has suffered losses due to this repeatedly," he added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the Bihar Assembly results as "truly surprising" and said "we could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning".

Gandhi also said the Congress and the INDIA bloc will conduct an in-depth review of the poll results and make more effective efforts to save democracy. "I express my heartfelt gratitude to those millions of voters in Bihar who expressed their trust in the Mahagathbandhan. This result in Bihar is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

"This fight is for the protection of the Constitution and democracy. The Congress party and the INDIA bloc will conduct an in-depth review of this result and make more effective efforts to save democracy," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said. The NDA swept the Bihar assembly polls, surging ahead in over 200 of 243 seats, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with about a 90 per cent strike rate.

Congress leader Mumtaz Patel claimed that decision-making power remains concentrated in the hands of a few leaders and grassroots workers are consistently sidelined in her party.

Speaking to ANI, Patel said, "When we know that we are fighting a system like this, which is so powerful, who have complete control, then obviously the Congress party will have to be alert. Those familiar with the ground are not given a chance. Decision-making is concentrated in the hands of a few people."The Congress leader further claimed that dedicated workers are being ignored within the party despite their loyalty."

"The Congress party has such workers across the country who, regardless of victory or defeat, I always say we are Congressmen at heart. But no one asks them, no one acknowledges them, and they are not given any position or authority," Patel said.Drawing a parallel between external challenges and internal issues", she added, "Even in our party, if we are fighting for democracy, if we talk about saving democracy, if we talk about saving the electoral process, then even in our own party, power is concentrated in the hands of a few, and those very people get rewarded again and again. There is no accountability of any kind, and you don't use the real workers, you don't even ask them, you don't even acknowledge them."

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi thanked the people of Bihar for ensuring the success of party's candidates in five assembly constituencies and urged non-NDA parties to introspect.

Owaisi, who extensively campaigned in Bihar in support of his party candidates, also said non-NDA parties should try to address their shortcomings instead of assuming voters would automatically favour them.

Addressing reporters here, he said, "I am grateful to the people of Bihar. Especially, I have been saying from the beginning that RJD would not be able to stop BJP. You can check my speeches. I had said that. Today also, I am appealing to those people in Bihar who have misconception about the 'MY' (Muslim and Yadav) combination," In an apparent reference to minority voters in Bihar, he urged them to become "vote takers" rather than just "vote givers", saying it would help promote leadership among them and also check "communal and fascist forces".

He added that non-BJP parties like RJD need to examine why they were not able to prevent the BJP's growth. "Those who feel relieved by abusing him are welcome to do so." Referring to Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav's reported comments blaming the rout of 'Mahagathbandhan" in Bihar on SIR, he said the non-NDA parties should focus on addressing their own weaknesses.

Several BJP leaders and Union Ministers hailed the historic victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a post on X, former Union Minister Smriti Irani said, "When the government runs at the centre and in the states through coordination, what its result is can be seen today from a political perspective in the Bihar election results."

Union Minister Piyush Goyal thanked the people for Bihar for once again endorsing development works. In a post on X, Goyal said, "Jungle Raj is frustrated, Bihar's trust in NDA! Heartfelt thanks from the depths of my heart to the divine-like people of Bihar for once again endorsing the development works being carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ji. Each of your votes asserts our right over India's security and resources while delivering a strong blow against infiltration and corruption. At the same time, Bihar has also given the entire country a major message on the necessity of cleansing the voter list. My heartiest congratulations to Home Minister Amit Shah ji, BJP President JP Nadda ji, Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal ji and all the dedicated workers for ensuring a resounding victory in Bihar through their experience, skills, and tireless efforts. I am fully confident that all public servants will live up to the trust with which you have led all NDA candidates to victory, and they will work with complete commitment to build a developed and self-reliant Bihar."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his address to the BJP workers at the party workers in New Delhi by saying 'Jai Chhatimaiiya'. "In Bihar's every hour, Makhana Kheer will be made, and I am happy that Makhana Kheer was given to party workers here. NDA people serve the people, and we have stolen people's hearts," PM Modi said.

"The entire Bihar has said 'Phir Ek Baar NDA Sarkaar (Once again a NDA government'," he quipped. PM Modi paid respects to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan and former Bihar Chief Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee late Karpoori Thakur.

"Some parties in Bihar created the MY formula, which was based on polarisation. The win has given a new MY formula, which is 'Mahila and Youth' (Women and Youth'. I want to thank the youth and women of Bihar. I also want to thank the entire team of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)," he said.

He said that Union Minister Chirag Paswan has showed good leadership. Prime Minister Modi said it is a win for democracy. "This is the same Bihar where Naxalism was active. Earlier, voting used to end in Naxal-affeted areas. In this election, people voted like a festival, without fear. When there was jungle raj in Bihar, there used to be violence; now the same Bihar voted in record numbers and peacefully. The numbers of repolling confirm this," Prime Minister Modi said.

"When Jungle Raj was thrown out of power, things became normal. This time there was no repolling in the two-phased polls and voting was peaceful, and I thank the Election Commission of India, the security forces and voters of Bihar," he said.

The PM also said that the voters took Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls seriously, and this was proved by the elections in Bihar.

BJP Chief and Union Minister JP Nadda said that the win in Bihar was a ratification of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'good governance'. Nadda also lashed out at the Mahagathbandhan (MGB), saying they insulted workers from the state, who work in other states of the country.

"Those who were dreaming to form a government with the help of infiltrators, the people have responded to them. I thank the people of the state, lakhs of BJP workers at the booth, for their hard work," Nadda said.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and other senior leaders of the saffron party were present on the occasion.

After the NDA registered an emphatic win in the Bihar Assembly polls and retained power in the state, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also bowed to all the esteemed voters.

In a post on X, Nitish, who is a senior Janata Dal (United) leader, said, "In the Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections-2025, the people of the state have expressed their confidence in our government by giving us a massive majority. For this, I bow to all the esteemed voters of the state, and express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks. I express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for the support received from him, while bowing to him. The NDA alliance has achieved a massive majority in this election by demonstrating complete unity. For this massive victory, thanks and gratitude are also due to all the partners of the NDA alliance - Shri Chirag Paswan Ji, Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi Ji, and Shri Upendra Kushwaha Ji. With the support of all of you, Bihar will progress even further and will be included in the category of the most developed states in the country."

In all likelihood, Nitish will continue as the Chief Minister.

A poll debutante, renowned folk singer and BJP candidate, Maithili Thakur has won Alinagar assembly seat by defeating RJD leader Binod Mishra. She is all set to become the youngest ever MLA in the state. "This is not my victory, but the victory of the people who voted for me. I am speechless and still processing everything," she said.

On the election results in Bihar, Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan thanked the people of Bihar for what he called a "historic mandate". He said people of Bihar have taken this decision with the vision of accelerating the state's development. "They have shown their wisdom by making the right choice at the right time. This is a moment when the leadership of PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar will guide Bihar on a strong developmental path. This mandate answers many questions that were being raised. Those who doubted CM Nitish Kumar's health, the NDA's governance, the influence of PM Modi, or even my role in the alliance have all received a clear answer from the people."

After trailing for a long time early on against his closest rival and BJP candidate Satish Kumar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav managed to take a lead and eventually won by over 11,000 voters from family bastion Raghopur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday termed the NDA's resounding win in Bihar as a victory of good governance, development, the spirit of public welfare, and social justice.

He thanked the voters in Bihar for the NDA's "historic and unprecedented victory" in the 2025 assembly elections. "This resounding public mandate will empower us to serve the people and work with new resolve for Bihar," the PM said in a post on X.

In another post, he said: "I express my gratitude to each worker of the NDA, who have worked tirelessly. They went among the public, presented our development agenda, and firmly countered every lie of the opposition. I appreciate them from the bottom of my heart!"

"In the coming times, we will actively work towards the development of Bihar, giving a new identity to the infrastructure here and the culture of the state. We will ensure that the youth power and women power here get ample opportunities for a prosperous life," PM Modi said in yet another post.

Janata Dal (United) stalwart and political heavyweight Anant Singh has registered his victory from the Mokama Assembly constituency of Bihar. According to the Election Commission's website, Singh has defeated his main rival, Veena Devi of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), by a margin of over 28,000. Veena Devi is the wife of Surajbhan Singh, another prominent political figure and Anant Singh's rival 'bahubali'. Anant Singh, who is presently in jail following his arrest in connection with the murder of a JSP supporter, continues to command significant support in his constituency.

Lauding NDA for its victory in Bihar, BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the "purification" of voter lists was mandatory as he pointed towards the importance of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists across the country.

He also took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that there was no place for politics against SIR

"Every single vote of the people of Bihar is a symbol of faith in the Modi government's policy against infiltrators who play with India's security and resources, and their sympathisers. The public has given a befitting reply to those who protect infiltrators for the sake of vote banks. The people of Bihar have conveyed the mood of the entire country that the purification of the voter list is mandatory and there is no place for politics against it. That is why, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress has today reached the last rung in Bihar," Shah said in a post on X.

BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said NDA's mandate was for the resolution of 'developed Bihar' and the sweeping victory in the state was the "victory of every Bihari who believes in Developed Bihar".

Shah, in multiple posts on X, commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the victory.

"No matter in what guise those who practice jungle raj and appeasement politics come, they will not get the opportunity to loot. The public now gives its mandate solely and exclusively on the basis of ‘Politics of performance’. I congratulate Shri @narendramodi ji, Shri @NitishKumar ji, and all the leaders and workers of the NDA. At the same time, I salute all the workers of @BJP4Bihar from the booth level to the state level who have brought this result to fruition through their tireless hard work. I assure the people of Bihar and especially our mothers and sisters that with the hope and trust with which you have given this mandate to the NDA, under the leadership of Modi ji, the NDA government will fulfill it with even greater dedication," he said in one of the posts.

New Delhi: It was a mix of state and central welfare schemes, including the monetary aid to women, and a constant reminder of the "jungle raj" during the RJD rule by NDA campaigners led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that appears to have contributed in a big way to their landslide victory in the Bihar Assembly elections.

The prime minister addressed 13 rallies across Bihar and held a massive roadshow in Patna, evoking Bihari pride, celebrating traditions such as the Chhath Puja and lashing out at the RJD-Congress alliance for having a "soft corner for infiltrators" and profiteering from public money while being in power.

PM Modi also gave a message of unity to the NDA constituents by interacting with them regularly as the campaign kicked off and ironing out differences amongst them in the aftermath of the announcement of candidates of the ruling alliance.

A recurring theme of the prime minister's election rallies was the reminder of the ''jungle raj'' during the RJD rule under chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, and there were special efforts to ensure that the youth in the state does not get swayed by the promises made by Tejashwi Yadav.

He urged the family elders to recount the "horrors of jungle raj'' to the younger generations, who may have only seen Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister who has been in office since 2005.

While the BJP celebrated the traditions of Bihar, including the Chhath festival, which was observed across the state just ahead of the first phase of the elections on November 6, PM Modi lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for terming his references to the Chhath rituals as "drama".

"The naamdaar of the Congress called the devotion to Chhathi Maiya a 'drama'. They never visit Ayodhya to have a darshan of Lord Shri Ram. I understand their dislike for Lord Ram. But they can at least pay obeisance at the shrines dedicated to Nishad Raj, Shabri Mata, and Maharshi Valmiki. Their reluctance to do so only indicates their hatred for Dalits and backward classes," PM Modi said at a rally in Araria.

The prime minister hit the campaign trail on October 24 with a rally at Samastipur, the birth place of socialist leader Karpoori Thakur, who was honoured with the Bharat Ratna by the NDA government. On October 30, PM Modi addressed rallies in Muzaffarpur and Chhapra and followed it up with public meetings at Nawada and Arrah.

He also addressed rallies at Katihar and Saharsa on November 3, at Bhagalpur and Araria on November 6, at Bhabhua and Aurangabad on November 7 and Bettaiah and Sitamarhi on November 8. He also interacted with party workers through the programme 'Mera Booth Sabse Majboot' and urged them to ensure that the people of the state are aware of the welfare schemes of the state and the Centre.

Bihar has supported Modi in the previous elections – the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 2019 and 2024 - and the Assembly elections in 2020 and 2025. (PTI)

With Nitish Kumar set to retain power in Bihar, women in his village, Kalyan Bigha, are celebrating his and the NDA's sweeping victory in the Assembly Elections. "This is CM Nitish Kumar's village. We are all celebrating Holi today. There is nothing like this (that women voted for Rs 10,000). Earlier, we didn't get Rs 10,000, yet we made him win. Everyone is happy. We are dancing, celebrating," said Ranju Devi, one of the residents.

JD(U) candidate Maheshwar Hazari defeated his nearest rival, CPI(ML) Liberation's Ranjeet Kumar Ram, by a margin of 38,586 votes in the Kalyanpur assembly seat in Bihar, according to the Election Commission. Hazari bagged 1,18,162 votes, while Ram secured 79,576 votes. Jan Suraaj Party candidate Ram Balak Paswan was in third position, securing 16,574 votes.

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said he was not invited to campaign in the Bihar election, while noting that the Congress would examine the reasons for its defeat.

Speaking to reporters in the wake of the Bihar poll outcome, Tharoor said the party has a responsibility to study in detail the causes behind the setback. “Remember, we were not the senior partner in the alliance and the RJD also has to look carefully at its own performance,” he said. According to him, in a mandate like Bihar’s, it is important to examine the totality of the party’s performance.

He noted that elections are about a number of factors. “There is, of course, the popular mood. There are questions about the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses. There is a question of messaging. These are issues that will have to be looked at,” he said.

Tharoor said the results would be analysed thoroughly. “I was not there and I was not invited to campaign in Bihar. So I can’t say much from personal experience. Those who were there will certainly study the outcome,” he added.

Meanwhile, Tharoor drew sharp criticism from senior Congress leader MM Hassan for his recent article against Dynasty politics in the party. In another event, senior Congress leader M M Hassan criticised Tharoor and said that the MP entered politics with the support of the Nehru family and gained all his positions and fame because of them.

“I have also voted for Tharoor. He has not shed a drop of sweat for society or the country,” Hassan said. He said that while Tharoor could criticise the Nehru family, but not as a member of the Congress Working Committee. Hassan accused Tharoor of using the same “family politics” arguments employed by the BJP to target Rahul Gandhi.

“Before doing that, he should respectfully step away from the Congress Working Committee,” he said.

In a recent article for international media organisation Project Syndicate, the Thiruvananthapuram MP pointed out that Tharoor said dynastic politics across the political spectrum poses a "grave threat" to Indian democracy and asserted that it is high time India traded "dynasty for meritocracy". (PTI)

The Congress was leading in just two of the 61 seats it contested in Bihar, in a massive setback for the party that fought the assembly elections as part of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. This makes it the worst performance by Congress in Bihar in recent history. In the 2020 Assembly elections, it had won 19 of the 70 seats it contested.

Md Qamrul Hoda was leading in Kishanganj by 18,978 votes after 21 rounds of counting, according to the Election Commission. State Congress president Rajesh Kumar was trailing by over 12,000 votes in the Kutumba seat.

West Bengal Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday hailed the National Democratic Alliance's decisive performance in Bihar assembly elections, asserting, "Ek hi slogan hai: Bihar ki jeet hamari hai, ab Bengal ki baari hai" ("There is only one slogan: Bihar's victory is ours, now it is Bengal's turn..."). The NDA is poised to set a new milestone in the 2025 Bihar elections, as it has surpassed the 200-mark in the latest trends.

RJD leader and INDIA bloc's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav is trailing BJP's Satish Kumar by 4,570 votes in Bihar's Raghopur assembly seat, which was witnessing a neck-and-neck fight on Friday, according to the Election Commission.

After 12 rounds of counting, Yadav secured 43,883 votes, while Kumar bagged 48,453 votes. Jan Suraaj Party nominee Chanchal Kumar was in third place with 1,497 votes.

Yadav has been holding the seat for the last 10 years and defeated Kumar in the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections. Earlier today, Tejashwi was leading by barely a few hundred votes after trailing for a while.

The RJD leader said his party workers and the people were ready to handle "any unconstitutional activity during counting", while a lesser-known RJD leader Sunil Kumar Singh threatened that a "Nepal-like situation" would be witnessed on the streets if the "counting is halted, like in 2020".

When a poster bearing chief minister Nitish Kumar’s photograph and claiming “Tiger abhi zinda hai” (Tiger is still alive) appeared at the Janata Dal United (JDU) headquarters in the state capital and elsewhere on the eve of the counting of votes for the Bihar Assembly election, it was seen as an act of sycophantic adulation.

On Friday, within a couple of hours of the beginning of the counting, the poster attracted praise as an act of prophecy as the JDU sailed towards becoming the second largest party in the state after its ally BJP. The tiger was not only alive but roaring and decimating the opponents. Read More...

As per the latest counting trends of ECI, the NDA has surged past the 200-mark lead in Bihar, with the alliance currently ahead on 202 of 243 seats. BJP is leading on 91 seats, JD(U) on 81, LJP(RV) on 21, HAM(S) on 5, and the RLM on 4.

Speaking on the Bihar election results, senior Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the party accepts the mandate and will take the outcome as a lesson for future polls. "Whatever mandate the people have given, we accept it. We will use this as a lesson to devise a new strategy for the future," he said.

On NDA having a clear edge in Bihar polls, Tamil Nadu BJP said people of Bihar have rejected the Congress and the lies it spread on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The counting trends indicate that people solidly back the BJP-led NDA, it said.

Patna: The BJP-led NDA appeared to register a landslide victory in Bihar, opening up impressive leads in more than 180 of the state's 243 assembly seats, with early trends also indicating that the saffron party was on track to post its biggest tally with an excellent strike rate.

According to trends available on the Election Commission's website by noon, the BJP was set to emerge as the single-largest party with a lead in more than 80 assembly seats out of 101 it contested, a performance that would further cement its position as the numero uno political force in the country, offsetting whatever setback that might have been caused by last year’s Lok Sabha polls.

The NDA's tally in Bihar comes in the backdrop of the BJP’s back-to-back stupendous performances in Delhi, Maharashtra and Haryana. Firm backing to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team also appeared to have paid rich dividends for the JD(U), which seems poised to drastically improve its tally since 2020, when it had won only 43 seats, but was now leading in more than 70.

The LJP(RV), headed by Union minister Chirag Paswan, the self-declared “Hanuman” of the Prime Minister, was leading in over 20 seats, a stellar show taking into consideration the fact that it had contested only 29.

The RJD, which has been priding itself on being the “single largest party” despite being in the opposition, seems to be putting up a dismal show, with a lead in fewer than 40 seats, though it had contested more than 140.

The Congress, which had contested 61 seats, engaging in “friendly fights” with allies in many of these, has lived up to its reputation of being dead wood in Bihar, with a lead in less than 10 seats.

If trends are converted into results, the BJP will be outperforming the JD(U) in a second consecutive election, which may give rise to a clamour from within the cadres for having their “own chief minister”.

The PM and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, however, have so far been ambivalent on the issue, insisting that the NDA was “led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar”, a strategy that may have been adopted in view of the fact that the BJP, which does not have a majority in Lok Sabha, and is dependent on allies like JD(U), and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP for survival in power.

Among the prominent BJP candidates leading in their seats were Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary (Tarapur) and Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai). RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc’s Chief Ministerial candidate, was trailing behind BJP rival Satish Kumar by a slender margin of about 100 votes. His elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who was expelled from the party a few months ago by their father Lalu Prasad, was placed a distant fourth in adjoining Mahua. (PTI)

Patna: Jan Suraaj Party spokesperson Pavan K Varma on Friday said the party would undertake a "serious review" of its performance in the Bihar Assembly elections after early trends showed Prashant Kishor’s outfit making little impact despite a grassroots campaign.

His remarks came when the ruling NDA seems to be sweeping the ruling assembly polls. According to the latest trends on the Election Commission's website, the NDA was ahead in 187 assembly seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc was way behind with leads just in 49, signalling a sharp tilt in favour of the BJP-led coalition.

Within the NDA, the JD(U) was leading in 85 seats, the BJP in 76, with allies LJP (RV) (22) and HAM(S) (5) adding further heft to the front. The Mahagathbandhan’s leads were anchored by the RJD’s 35 seats, followed by the Congress (6), CPI(ML)-Liberation (7), VIP (I) and CPI(M)- one each. The Bahujan Samaj Party (1), AIMIM (2) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (1) also figured in the early count.

EC trends showed Kishor’s party struggling to register leads anywhere, marking a stark contrast to the momentum his yatra and district-level mobilisation had generated over the past two years.

Speaking to PTI Video, Varma said Jan Suraaj had gone into the polls with “sincerity and conviction” but admitted that it had failed to win voters’ confidence.

"We worked with full sincerity, with the belief that Bihar needs fundamental change. There was no lack of effort. But if we have not won the people’s trust, we will analyse why and reflect on it," he said.

Varma stressed that while the party had faltered at the ballot box, it had succeeded in compelling mainstream parties to acknowledge pressing governance concerns. "One thing gives us satisfaction that the Jan Suraaj agenda of employment, migration, education and corruption-free Bihar will now be part of every party’s agenda," he said.

On the NDA’s surge, Varma said election outcomes often defy predictions. "I have seen many elections where results turn out differently from what was anticipated. There is no doubt Nitish ji continues to enjoy acceptance and respect in Bihar. I have worked closely with him, and we are happy that he has received the people’s mandate. We wish him well and hope he becomes the chief minister again," he said.

Asked whether the party would introspect on its dismal performance, Varma said Jan Suraaj would “review its shortcomings” even though its "vision and efforts had no flaw". "The results are disappointing, no doubt. We will now analyse what needs to be done next," he added. On speculation that Prashant Kishor might leave Bihar after the electoral setback, Varma dismissed the idea.

"Whether he stays or goes is his personal decision. But he cannot leave Bihar, nor can Bihar leave him. Once the complete results are out, he will share his response on the future course," he added. (PTI)

Celebrations have begun among the NDA constituents as trends show the alliance sweeping the Bihar Assembly Elections by a massive margin. Huge hoardings announcing that Bihar matlab Nitish Kumar (Bihar means Nitish Kumar) and Har baar Nitish Kumar (Nitish Kumar every time), as well as congratulating him on the victory, came up at the Janata Dal United (JDU) headquarters in Patna and other places in the state capital. Read More...

By Santu Das

New Delhi: Amid early trends indicating a clean sweep for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, the Congress, which has been accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of favouring the ruling dispensation, on Friday asserted in the Assembly elections the contest was directly between the poll panel and people of the state.

Reacting to the early trends signalling that the NDA would retain power in Bihar, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, while talking to reporters in New Delhi, said, "The contest is directly between the Election Commission of India and the people of Bihar. Let's see who wins."

Without mincing words, he said, "I am talking about the direct, straight contest between (Chief Election Commissioner) Gyanesh Kumar and the people of Bihar. I cannot underestimate the people of Bihar. They have shown immense courage despite Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and 'vote chori' (vote theft). Let's see in the hours ahead how effective Gyanesh Kumar proves to be."

Khera, who is also the Chairman of Congress' Media and Publicity Department, said, "These are only early trends. It seems that Gyanesh Kumar is currently outweighing the people of Bihar. We are waiting to see whether, in the coming hours, the people of Bihar will outweigh Gyanesh Kumar, or Gyanesh Kumar will outweigh the people of Bihar. Let’s see.”

In response to a question on party's future course of action, the senior Congress leader said, "We will discuss later."

With the Mahagathbandhan way behind NDA and likely to lose the Bihar election, its CM-face and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is facing a personal challenge in the Raghopur seat, from where he is trailing by over 3,000 votes. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI) data, by round 4, BJP candidate Satish Kumar has polled over 17,599 votes and is leading by 3,016 votes against Tejashwi, who has polled 14,583 votes. Raghopur is an RJD bastion as the party supremo Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and Tejashwi--all have won from the seat in different assembly elections. Read More...

Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram on Friday raised doubts over the "integrity" of the counting process even as Election Commission trends placed the NDA comfortably ahead of the Mahagathbandhan. The Election Commission's numbers delivered a sweeping early advantage to the ruling alliance. Ram alleged "serious anomalies" in the counting process, claiming that the procedure had slowed abruptly in several centres after the initial rounds.

Accusing the administration of attempting to "steal votes", he claimed there were reports of "server vans" hovering around counting centres and "irregularities at booths." "When vote theft happens in Maharashtra and Haryana, why will people not suspect the same here? Especially the Opposition," he told PTI Video. Ram argued that Bihar's electorate was showing "visible resentment" rooted in unemployment, paper leaks, lack of healthcare, and persistent distress migration.

"Women don't want their husbands to go outside the state to earn. Youths are frustrated. The 20-year rule backed by the BJP has failed them," he added. The Congress leader also echoed the RJD's warnings that any perceived wrongdoing could trigger unrest. "Voters know whom they pressed the button for. If the outcome doesn't match their expectation, anger is natural," he said.

In a veiled swipe at RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, senior JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary warned that politics in Bihar was sliding into a "dangerous combination of immaturity and raw desperation", a mix he said is now becoming "lethal".

Choudhary’s remarks came as counting of votes was underway for the Bihar assembly elections, with early trends showing that the NDA was way ahead of the Mahagathbandhan

Speaking to PTI VIDEO in Patna, he expressed concern that certain political leaders appeared inclined to “keep resetting again and again, and bringing policies without adequate foresight, ideological grounding".

“The NDA is winning with a two-thirds majority. We believe in being humble even in victory. But some leaders speak this without maturity, without consistency. This is what worries us,” Choudhary said, apparently referring to Yadav. Once the initial phase of popularity or electoral sweetness fades, he cautioned, “these candidates will do whatever they want. It shows political immaturity”.

The JD(U) leader claimed that the desperation to grab power at any cost was beginning to overshadow institutional norms and democratic conduct. “This combination of immaturity and desperation somehow becomes lethal; it is unhealthy for democracy,” he said.

Early trends in counting of votes in the Bihar Assembly elections on Friday showed the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) way past the halfway mark of 122, with the Mahagathbandhan lagging.

At 10.45 am, NDA was leading at 179 seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party's lead on 76 seats and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) ahead in 78 constituencies. NDA constituents Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) was leading on 21 seats and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) on 4.

Mahagathbandhan was trailing behind, with a lead of just 76 seats as Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal's allies, especially Congress, showed an underwhelming performance as per the early trends. RJD was leading on 35 seats, while Congress was leading in just 7 and while Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation was leading on five seats.

Counting of votes for all 243 constituencies began at 8 am amid tight security. Officials began tallying postal ballots, with the counting of EVM votes scheduled to start at 8:30 am.

The Election Commission of India website shows NDA leading in at least 145 seats, well above the majority mark of 122. BJP and JD(U), the two major constituents of the NDA, alone are leading in 124 seats as counting of votes goes on to determine the winner of the recently held Bihar Assembly Elections. Nitish Kumar's JD(U) has leads in 63 seats while the BJP is ahead in 61. Lalu Prasad's RJD, whose leader Tejashwi Yadav is the Mahagathbandhan's CM face, is leading in 34 seats. Congress is leading in 10.

As early trends show the National Democratic Alliance way ahead of Mahagathbandhan, Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal was confident of ruling NDA's victory in the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. The counting of votes is underway across all 243 constituencies in the state.

"During the first and second phases of the elections, it was clear from the expressions on the faces of the people and supporters that they are ready once again to form an NDA government. The public mandate indicates a strong trend that the NDA government is going to be formed in Bihar with a massive majority, Jaiswal said.

He claimed that the public trusts NDA and people believe in PM Modi's leadership and CM Nitish Kumar's efforts to develop the state. "Women's empowerment, employment and overall development are factors of this election. The NDA will surely form a government again," he said.

As the counting of votes for the Bihar Assembly election began on Friday morning, Gaya Ji District Magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar said that all arrangements are in place and that victory rallies are completely banned due to the Model Code of Conduct in effect. Shubhankar added that security is adequate and the process is being carried out transparently.

Speaking to ANI, Shubhankar said, "All the preparations have been made. There is a complete ban on victory rallies, as the model code of conduct remains in place. There is no issue anywhere. We have sufficient force. Everything is being done in a transparent manner." Read More...

Bihar Election 2025 Result Live Updates: Early trends show NDA leading 133 seats and Mahagathbandhan in 82. In NDA, BJP is leading with 63 seats and JD(U) on 61. Similarly, in MGB, the RJD is leading on 55 seats and Congress on 16. Counting of votes is underway in all 243 constituencies across 38 districts to determine the fate of over 2,600 candidates.

ETV Bharat's interactive and exclusive Bihar results page provides minute-by-minute updates, as it sources candidate, constituency and district-wise stats in real time based on the most recent data provided by the Election Commission of India and our reporters' exclusive inputs from the ground. You can access the page HERE.

According to the exit polls, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to return to power in Bihar, where voting was held in two phases. There are 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly, and a party or a coalition needs to win 122 seats to come to power.

The exit poll by IANS-Matrize gave NDA 147-167 seats, while it predicted that Mahagathbandhan would get 70-90 seats. It said that the Jan Suraaj Party led by Prashant Kishor would win anywhere between 0-2 seats. The News 18 mega exit poll also predicted a win for the NDA. It said the NDA would win 140-150 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan would win 85-95 seats, and the Jan Suraaj Party would win 0-5 seats.

The Dainik Bhaskar exit poll had predicted that the NDA would comfortably form the government and win 145-160 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan would win 73-91 seats. It predicted that the Jan Suraaj Party would draw a blank.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav told reporters in Patna that his alliance will come to power. The RJD candidate from Raghopur assembly seat has left for the counting centres. Yadav has also been positioned as the Chief Minister face of Mahagathbandhan.

"We are going to win, and we are winning. There will be a change. We are forming the government."

The counting of votes for all 243 constituencies in the Bihar Assembly election began at 8 am today, with the processing of postal ballots, followed by the counting of votes from Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which will take place from 8.30 am. A multi-tier security cordon has been implemented across the state's 46 counting centres in 38 districts. The inner security tier around the strongrooms and counting halls is manned by the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). The outer perimeter security is handled by the Bihar Police and district police forces. Over 106 companies of security personnel from outside the state have also been deployed.

As Bihar awaits the decisive outcome of the Assembly elections, the political atmosphere is charged with anticipation, with the RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari asserting that the mandate will pave the way for Tejashwi Yadav’s government, declaring that the long-awaited moment for Bihar has finally arrived as counting begins on Friday.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has put in place elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes across all 243 Assembly constituencies, marking a crucial day for the state’s political future.

Tiwari expressed strong confidence in the Mahagathbandhan’s performance, declaring that a change of government is imminent. “The time Bihar was waiting for has arrived. We will succeed, I am fully confident. Whatever predictions have been made, today the results will be in our favour. The Nitish government is bidding farewell, its time is over, and the new government of the Mahagathbandhan under Tejashwi Yadav is coming…” Tiwari told IANS, asserting that the electorate has voted with clarity and purpose.

Adding to the opposition bloc’s optimism, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) spokesperson Dev Jyoti echoed similar sentiments. He said, “All the poor people, all the labourers, the labour class, the lower-income group, and all those who follow Ambedkar’s ideology, their government is coming… By around 10, 10.30 or by 11 am, you will see the Mahagathbandhan forming the government.” The VIP, a constituent of the Mahagathbandhan, expects an early and clear lead in the initial rounds of counting.

Ahead of the counting across 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar, Janata Dal (United) on Friday predicted its victory, saying on social media that only a few hours are left before the "government of good governance" returns.

In a post on X, Janata Dal (United) shared, "Just a few hours to wait, the government of good governance is returning once again (Bus kuch ghanto ka intejaar, fir se aa rahi hai sushan ki sarkar)."

There is an air of expectation in the NDA camp with Exit Polls predicting the return of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state. Bihar Minister Hari Sahni said, "Today the results will be a reflection of the good governance of the NDA government...The results will be in favour of the NDA government and we will secure more seats than expected."

BJP candidate from Bankipur & Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin said, "We are all confident that this time, the NDA seat tally will be near that of the 2010 elections. NDA is going to form the Government...We will get 200 plus seats. They (RJD) are still not able to let go of their mindset of 'jungle raj'. RJD is the symbol of 'jungle raj'."

ETV Bharat brings to you the live updates as counting for the Bihar Assembly Election Results 2025 begins shortly from now. Our interactive and exclusive Bihar results page provides minute-by-minute updates, as it sources candidate, constituency and district-wise stats in real time based on the most recent data provided by the Election Commission of India and our reporters' exclusive inputs from the ground. You can access the page HERE.

Ahead of the counting of votes for the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, Independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav, says, "BJP cannot win any elections without lying, money power, theft. BJP also tried its best to ensure that the BJP government is formed instead of the Nitish government...Women, youth voted in favour of the INDIA alliance..."

Yadav said he was confident that the public had "bestowed their trust on the Mahagathbandhan". "There was anger among the public against the NDA alliance and they wanted change."

Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister and BJP candidate from the Lakhisarai Assembly seat, Vijay Kumar Sinha, offered prayers at Ashokdham temple this morning before the counting of votes begins at 8 am. Sinha is pitted against Congress candidate Amarendra Kumar. The constituency recorded a 63.46 per cent voter turnout as the polling was held in it during the first phase of the Assembly elections on November 6. Read More...

Bihar waits with bated breath for the 2025 Assembly election results as the counting of votes begins at 46 centres across the state from 8 am today. Authorities have set up a three-tier security system as per the directions of the ECI at all the counting centres. As many as 60 companies of central armed forces, a large number of Bihar Special Armed Police personnel, and district armed police personnel have been deployed to ensure a smooth and incident-free counting process. Read More...