Patna, Bihar, India: The results of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections will be announced on November 14, following the conclusion of the two-phase polling across all 243 assembly constituencies. Any party or alliance will need 122 seats to secure a majority in the House.

The election will determine whether Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U)-BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) continues its governance or if Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD-led INDIA bloc can take control, ending Nitish Kumar’s long tenure as chief minister.

Voting Schedule and Turnout

The first phase of polling, held on November 6, covered 121 constituencies in 18 districts and recorded a 65.08% voter turnout, a significant rise from the 57.29% seen in the 2020 assembly election.

The second phase, set for November 11, will cover the remaining 122 seats in 20 districts, including major regions such as Gaya, Nawada, Jamui, Bhagalpur, and Purnia.

According to Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), voting in the first phase was peaceful, and the higher participation rate reflects growing voter enthusiasm compared to previous elections.

Bihar Election 2025: The Battle for Power

The ruling NDA, consisting of the BJP, JD(U), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and smaller allies, currently holds 132 seats in the outgoing assembly — comfortably above the majority mark of 122.

The opposition RJD, which was the largest single party in 2020, now has 75 MLAs, followed by the Congress (19) and the CPI(ML)-Liberation (12).

Nitish Kumar, a key political force in Bihar for nearly twenty years, has changed alliances multiple times since 2020. Within the NDA government, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha are spearheading the BJP’s campaign.

On the other hand, Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the opposition and son of former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, is betting on public discontent over unemployment and slow development to bring the INDIA bloc to power.

The Entry of Prashant Kishor

Adding a new twist to the Bihar political scene is the participation of Prashant Kishor, a prominent political strategist turned politician. Contesting under his newly formed Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), Kishor has fielded candidates across all 243 seats, presenting himself as an alternative to both the NDA and the INDIA alliances.

Looking Back at 2020

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA secured 125 seats, narrowly crossing the majority line. The BJP won 74, and the JD(U) bagged 43. Although the RJD emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats, Nitish Kumar retained power with the BJP’s support.

The years since have seen several political realignments — including Nitish Kumar’s brief reunion with the RJD in 2022, followed by his return to the NDA in 2024.

What to Expect on November 14

The vote counting will take place on November 14, deciding whether Nitish Kumar will extend his remarkable run as Chief Minister for a tenth term, or if Tejashwi Yadav will lead a generational shift in Bihar’s leadership.