Polling proceeded at a moderate pace across 121 assembly constituencies in Bihar on Thursday, with 53.77 per cent of 3.75 crore voters casting their ballots till 3 pm in the first phase of elections where more than 1,000 candidates are in the fray, news agency PTI reported.
Polling for Bihar Election 2025 was held across 18 districts, with Muzaffarpur and Gopalganj reporting turnouts above 58 per cent till 3 pm, while Patna recorded 48.69 per cent. Low turnout in urban constituencies such as Bankipur (34.80 per cent), Digha (31.89 per cent), and Kumhrar (37.73 per cent) was cited as the main reason for the capital’s relatively lower numbers.
The state has reported sporadic incidents of violence during Phase-1 polling.
Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Vijay Kumar Sinha has alleged that his convoy was attacked by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters at his home turf in Lakhisarai, PTI reported.
The first phase is crucial for both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, with key leaders including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers in the fray.
NDA, which has governed the state for 20 years with few interruptions, is highlighting its record of “sushasan (good governance)” against what it calls the “jungle raj” of the 15-year RJD-Congress rule. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing rallies in constituencies going to polls in the second phase, praised the strong turnout of women voters, PTI reported.
“Mothers, daughters and sisters have been the worst sufferers of `jungle raj`. Today, they seem to have put up a fortress around polling booths to prevent its return,” PM Modi stated.
The ruling alliance hopes CM Nitish Kumar’s tenure, along with welfare measures such as 125 units of free power, Rs 10,000 cash transfers to over one crore women, and increased social security pensions, will counter anti-incumbency sentiment.
However, RJD has dismissed the NDA’s claims, calling for a change in the state.
RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, backing his son Tejashwi, posted on X: “If a roti is not flipped on a tawa (pan), it gets burnt. Twenty years is a long time. A Tejashwi government is essential to build a new Bihar.”
The polling day saw allegations and counter-allegations. Deputy CM Sinha, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term from Lakhisarai, claimed that one of his convoy cars was attacked by RJD supporters attempting to intimidate voters from extremely backward classes. Meanwhile, RJD alleged that voting had been “deliberately slowed down” in strongholds of the INDIA bloc—a charge rejected by the Election Commission.
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is also in the fray for Bihar Election 2025. The former political strategist hopes that his party, which is currently not a part of either blocs, could emerge as a dark horse. Kishor has promised to make Bihar “among the top-ranking states” and has made bold statements, including his proposal to scrap the state’s prohibition law.
(With PTI inputs)