Editing 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election

{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election
| country = India
| region = Bihar
| seats_up = 243 
| election_date = 6 November and 11 November 2025
| previous_election = 2020
| election_system = [[First-past-the-post voting]]
| result_date = 14 November 2025
| map = Map_of_Bihar_Vidhan_Sabha_constituencies_2025.svg
| turnout = 67.14%
| party1 = [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|NDA]]
| leader1 = [[Nitish Kumar]] ([[Janata Dal (United)|JD(U)]]) & [[Samrat Choudhary]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])
| party2 = [[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)|Mahagathbandhan]] (MGB)
| leader2 = [[Tejashwi Yadav]] ([[Rashtriya Janata Dal|RJD]])
| party3 = [[Jan Suraaj Party]]
| leader3 = [[Prashant Kishor]]
}}

'''The 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election''' was held in two phases on 6 November and 11 November 2025 to elect all 243 members of the [[Bihar Legislative Assembly]]. The counting of votes and declaration of results took place on 14 November 2025. The election was a direct contest primarily between the incumbent [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) and the opposition coalition, the [[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)|Mahagathbandhan]] (MGB). The term of the previous assembly was scheduled to end on 22 November 2025.

== Background ==
The previous election in October–November 2020 saw the NDA, led by [[Nitish Kumar]]'s [[Janata Dal (United)|JD(U)]], form the government. However, the political landscape in Bihar underwent a significant shift in August 2022 when the JD(U) broke its alliance with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] and joined the MGB coalition, with Nitish Kumar continuing as Chief Minister. In early 2024, the JD(U) made another pivot, returning to the NDA fold, with the alliance remaining in power until the 2025 polls.

The 2025 election also saw the debut of the [[Jan Suraaj Party]] led by political strategist [[Prashant Kishor]], adding a new dimension to the traditionally bipolar contest.

== Schedule ==
The [[Election Commission of India]] announced the schedule for the election on 6 October 2025.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Poll Event !! Phase I (121 Seats) !! Phase II (122 Seats)
|-
| Issue of Notification || 10 October 2025 || 13 October 2025
|-
| Last Date for Nominations || 17 October 2025 || 20 October 2025
|-
| Scrutiny of Nominations || 18 October 2025 || 21 October 2025
|-
| Last Date for Withdrawal || 20 October 2025 || 23 October 2025
|-
| Date of Poll || '''6 November 2025''' || '''11 November 2025'''
|-
| Date of Counting of Votes || '''14 November 2025''' || '''14 November 2025'''
|}

== Major Alliances and Parties ==

=== National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ===
The NDA in Bihar was led by the JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar and the BJP, with the latter's leader [[Samrat Choudhary]] serving as Deputy Chief Minister. The alliance also included a number of smaller regional parties.

The finalized seat-sharing arrangement for the 243 constituencies was:
* [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP): 101 seats
* [[Janata Dal (United)]] (JD(U)): 101 seats
* [[Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)]] (LJP(RV)): 29 seats
* [[Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)]] (HAM(S)): 6 seats
* [[Rashtriya Lok Morcha]] (RLM): 6 seats

=== Mahagathbandhan (MGB) ===
The MGB, or Grand Alliance, was led by [[Tejashwi Yadav]] of the [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] (RJD), who was the declared chief ministerial candidate for the coalition. The alliance consisted of the RJD, the [[Indian National Congress]] (INC), and Left parties including the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation]] (CPI-ML), the [[Communist Party of India]] (CPI), and the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] (CPM).

Seat distribution for MGB:
* [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] (RJD): 143 seats
* [[Indian National Congress]] (INC): 61 seats
* Other allies (CPI, CPM, CPI-ML, VIP, IIP, etc.): 39 seats

=== Other Parties ===
* '''[[Jan Suraaj Party]] (JSP):''' Led by political strategist Prashant Kishor, the JSP contested the election independently.
* '''Others:''' Several smaller regional parties and independent candidates contested the election.

== Key Issues and Campaign ==
The election campaign centered around several key issues:

* '''Unemployment and Jobs:''' The MGB focused heavily on the promise of providing government jobs, with Tejashwi Yadav famously promising a massive employment drive upon coming to power.
* '''Caste-based Census:''' The implementation of the state's caste-based census and its implications for reservation policies became a major talking point.
* '''Infrastructure and Development:''' The NDA highlighted its track record on infrastructure and governance, asking for another term to complete development projects.
* '''Anti-Incumbency and Political Stability:''' Both alliances faced questions about political stability, given the frequent changes in government coalitions since 2020. The NDA framed its campaign around the leadership of Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]].
* '''Voter Roll Controversy:''' The Election Commission's decision to conduct a special intensive revision of the voter roll just before the election was heavily criticized by the opposition, who alleged it was an attempt at "vote theft."

== Key Constituencies and Candidates ==
A few constituencies were closely watched due to the high-profile candidates involved:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency !! Phase !! Key NDA Candidate !! Key MGB Candidate !! Other Notable Candidate
|-
| '''Raghopur''' || I || Satish Kumar (BJP) || '''Tejashwi Yadav (RJD)''' ||
|-
| '''Tarapur''' || I || '''Samrat Choudhary (BJP)''' || Arun Kumar Sah (RJD) ||
|-
| '''Alinagar''' || I || '''Maithili Thakur (BJP)''' || Binod Mishra (RJD) || Biplaw Kumar Chowdhary (JSP)
|-
| '''Mahua''' || I || Sanjay Singh (LJP) || Mukesh Kumar Raushan (RJD) || Tej Pratap Yadav (Independent)
|-
| '''Chhapra''' || I || Chhoti Kumari (BJP) || Khesari Lal Yadav (RJD) ||
|-
| '''Supaul''' || II || || || Bijendra Prasad Yadav (JD(U)) - *Veteran Leader*
|}

== Results ==
The results were declared on November 14, 2025.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Party/Alliance !! Leader !! Seats Won !! Seat Change
|-
| '''National Democratic Alliance (NDA)''' || Nitish Kumar / Samrat Choudhary || - || -
|-
| Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) || Samrat Choudhary || - || -
|-
| Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) || Nitish Kumar || - || -
|-
| Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP(RV)) || Chirag Paswan || - || -
|-
| Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM(S)) || Jitan Ram Manjhi || - || -
|-
| Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) || Upendra Kushwaha || - || -
|-
| '''Mahagathbandhan (MGB)''' || Tejashwi Yadav || - || -
|-
| Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) || Tejashwi Yadav || - || -
|-
| Indian National Congress (INC) || || - || -
|-
| Left Parties (CPI-ML, CPI, CPM) || || - || -
|-
| '''Jan Suraaj Party (JSP)''' || Prashant Kishor || - || -
|-
| '''Others & Independents''' || || - || -
|-
| '''Total''' || || '''243''' ||
|}
== Post-Election Scenarios ==
The results determined the formation of the next government in Bihar. Given the pre-poll predictions and high stakes, various post-election scenarios were possible, including a clear majority for one of the main alliances or a fractured mandate leading to intense political negotiations for forming the government.

==References==

[[Category:Bihar Legislative Assembly elections]]
[[Category:2025 elections in India]]
[[Category:2025 in Bihar]]