The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has delivered one of its strongest electoral performances in two decades, crossing the 200-seat mark in the 243-member Bihar Assembly. The verdict cements Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s political dominance and marks a resurgent mandate for the BJP-led coalition, surpassing even its 2010 tally.
Here’s a detailed look at the key winners and those who return from this election diminished:
WINNERS
1. Nitish Kumar
Two decades into his leadership, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) defied anti-incumbency and improved its tally, winning 85 seats. With the NDA securing 202 seats, Kumar is set to take oath for a fifth consecutive term.
The result also halts Tejashwi Yadav’s long-standing bid to project himself as Bihar’s next-generation leader a “youth vs experience” narrative that failed to resonate with voters.
2. Chirag Paswan
Chirag Paswan has staged one of the biggest comebacks of the 2025 race. After winning just one seat in 2020 despite a 6% vote share, his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) clinched 19 of the 29 seats it contested.
The consolidation of Dalit votes, especially among Paswan communities, and Chirag’s appeal among the youth proved decisive.
3. Asaduddin Owaisi and AIMIM
AIMIM registered yet another strong performance in the Seemanchal region. The party won four seats Jokihat, Kochadhaman, Amour and Baisi mirroring its 2020 footprint. Owaisi’s focused regional strategy and strong local leadership helped retain AIMIM’s pockets of influence.
4. Women Voters
For the first time in Bihar’s electoral history, women voted in significantly higher numbers than men, with turnout touching 71.6% compared to 62.8% for men.
Welfare schemes targeting women including the ₹10,000 Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana strengthened support among poorer, backward and rural communities, decisively boosting the NDA’s numbers.
5. Smaller NDA Allies
Satellite parties within the NDA delivered beyond expectations.
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HAM (Jitan Ram Manjhi) led in 5 of 6 seats
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LJP (Ram Vilas) won 19
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Rashtriya Lok Morcha secured 4
The consolidation of non-Yadav OBC, Dalit and EBC votes played a crucial role in widening the NDA’s margin.
LOSERS
1. Tejashwi Yadav and the RJD
Tejashwi Yadav, projected as the Mahagathbandhan’s CM face, failed to convert anti-incumbency into gains. While he retained his Raghopur seat, the RJD won just 25 seats its second-worst performance after its 2010 tally of 22.
The 2020 surge that briefly positioned Tejashwi as Bihar’s rising star has effectively stalled.
2. Rahul Gandhi
The Congress once again failed to make any impact, finishing with a single-digit seat count.
Despite Rahul Gandhi’s “Voter Adhikar Yatra,” allegations of “vote chori,” and criticism of the SIR revision process, the party could not connect with Bihar’s ground sentiment.
The performance continues its decline from 2020, when Congress contested 70 seats but won only 19.
3. Prashant Kishor
Prashant Kishor once India’s most sought-after political strategist emerged as one of the most disappointing performers. His party, Jan Suraaj, polled fewer votes than NOTA, despite a two-year padyatra and extensive publicity.
His development-first pitch failed to draw voters, and the decision not to contest seats created uncertainty around his political intention and leadership.
4. Mukesh Sahani
Despite being projected as the Mahagathbandhan’s deputy CM face after intense negotiations, Mukesh Sahani failed to mobilise the Nishad vote or make inroads in Seemanchal.
VIP’s poor performance shows that caste mobilisation alone was not enough, especially as Nishad voters gravitated toward the NDA’s welfare narrative.
5. INDIA Bloc
The INDIA alliance suffered a major setback ahead of key upcoming elections in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Maharashtra.
Seat-sharing tensions, a scattered campaign message and unclear leadership prevented it from posing a credible challenge.
The Opposition won just 35 seats:
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RJD: 25
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Congress: Single digits
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Left parties: Marginal impact
The NDA’s final tally stands at 202 – BJP 89, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5 and RLM 4.
