NDA wave sweeps Bihar; Opposition in tatters

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)

NDA leads in 203 seats, Grand Alliance at just 34

The NDA is now leading in 203 seats while the Grand Alliance is leading only in 34 seats. 

BJP leads in 89 seats, JD(U) 83; RJD 27, Congress 5

The BJP is leading in 89 seats, and its NDA alliance partner JD(U) is leading in 83 seats. As for the Opposition, the RJD is leading in 27 seats and Congress is leading only in five seats. 

NDA leads in 201 seats, Grand Alliance trails at 36

The NDA is now leading in 201 seats, while the Grand Alliance is leading only in 36 seats. 

Tharoor says Congress not senior partner in Bihar alliance

As the Congress faced a disappointing performance in the Bihar Assembly elections, party MP Shashi Tharoor emphasised that the party was not the senior partner in the alliance and that both Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) must evaluate their roles. "It's a question of leading at the moment. They are leading by a rather large margin. But let's wait for the Election Commission to discuss and disclose the results," Tharoor said.

He added that Congress bears responsibility for examining the outcome but noted, “We were not the senior partner in the alliance, and RJD also has to look carefully at its own performance.”

Tharoor stressed the need to assess the “totality” of the results. “There is the question of popular mood, organisational strengths and weaknesses, a lot of issues to be looked at,” he said as quoted by NDTV.

Commenting on pre-poll welfare measures, Tharoor noted that women voters in Bihar received incentives just before the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. “Whether we like it or not, unfortunately, that is legal under our laws… I don’t think it’s a healthy practice,” he remarked, citing similar trends in Maharashtra and other states. He called for a detailed analysis once results are fully declared.