Recalling his motivations, Singh said the pre-election buzz around Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahni promised a fresh start for Bihar under young leadership. But reality hit hard during alliances. ‘Tejashwi morphed into an entitled royal, mistreating everyone from leaders to grassroots workers,’ he revealed.

Ticket negotiations were a farce: promises of 60 seats dwindled to scraps after NDA’s pact. RJD fielded candidates against VIP’s top brass, including in Goraul-Bauram for Sahni himself. ‘We were tossed leftovers—take it or leave,’ Singh fumed, questioning Sahni’s silence amid the insults.

Campaign trails lacked synergy; no joint efforts, no worker motivation. The Nishad community, VIP’s base, felt the disrespect acutely and rewarded NDA with their votes. Singh highlighted Sahni’s sacrifices for the community, yet the alliance’s mishandling alienated them.

Tejashwi’s premature victory celebrations and ‘deputy CM rattle’ to Sahni underscored the disconnect. While Sahni lauded Lalu Prasad effusively, reciprocity was absent. ‘Voters saw through this charade,’ Singh concluded, warning that such ‘childish’ leadership only sets Bihar back.

The trigger? A widely circulated video where Virendra vents about the axing of Vijay Mandal’s candidacy. ‘Vijay and I were MLAs together. I fought tooth and nail for him. Why cut his ticket for strangers from distant districts?’ he questions, highlighting what he sees as a betrayal of grassroots loyalists.

Virendra reserves special ire for influential figures he dubs ‘fake socialists’ operating across districts. ‘These parasites control tickets. Any party under their thumb will crash like ours did,’ he warns, painting a picture of nepotism run amok.

Undeterred by the video’s virality, Virendra faced the press again. ‘Truth is my weapon—always has been. Exploiters must exit the party,’ he proclaimed, refusing to backpedal.

The BJP and JD(U) are reveling in the chaos. BJP’s Prabhakar Mishra quipped, ‘Virendra unmasks RJD’s truth: Defeat stems from caste favoritism over merit. It’s not about losers; it’s about engineered losses. The masses see through it—RJD’s credibility is in tatters.’

JD(U)’s Pooja N Sharma added fuel: ‘A party where a winning MLA gripes about selections is doomed to infighting. They traded dedicated workers for deal-making. Election results reflect that folly. This salt-rub on Yadav’s burns is delicious.’

With such open dissent, RJD’s post-poll recovery looks shaky. Will this spark reforms or fracture the party further? Bihar watches closely as opposition unity frays at the edges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are scheduled to grace the occasion. Several chief ministers from NDA-governed states, including Andhra Pradesh’s Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde, and Odisha’s Mohan Charan Majhi, will also be present to witness this milestone.

Enduring Political Powerhouse

At 74, Nitish Kumar has once again demonstrated his strong political influence by leading the Janata Dal (United) and the wider NDA alliance to a significant electoral triumph. This victory solidifies his position despite previous speculations about his political trajectory. Following the election results, Kumar was unanimously elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party. This decision was made during a meeting involving MLAs from all five constituent parties: BJP, JDU, LJP(RV), HAM(S), and RLM. Subsequently, they formally staked their claim to form the government with Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.

Cabinet Selections Underway

Considerable attention is focused on the selection of cabinet ministers, particularly the deputy chief minister roles. Outgoing deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, who were elected as the leader and deputy leader of the BJP legislature party, are widely expected to retain their positions. Mangal Pandey from the BJP is also a strong contender for a deputy CM role.

Reports suggest that many outgoing ministers will likely be reappointed. From the BJP’s allocated ministerial berths, names like Nitin Nabin, Mangal Pandey, Nitish Mishra, and Sanjay Saraogi are frequently mentioned for potential returns. The JD(U) is expected to see Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Lacy Singh, and Shravan Kumar continue in their ministerial capacities. Cabinet positions will also be allocated to representatives from the three smaller allied parties, reflecting the coalition’s strength.

Axis My India’s exit poll forecasts between 121 and 141 seats for the NDA, with the MGB expected to secure 98 to 118 seats. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) is projected to win a maximum of two seats. In contrast, Today’s Chanakya predicts a more dominant performance for the BJP-led alliance, forecasting 160 seats for the NDA, 77 for the RJD-led MGB, and 6 for other parties.

A consensus across nine exit polls released on November 11 suggests the NDA could secure around 147 seats, while the MGB might get approximately 90 seats. The Jan Suraaj Party is expected to win one seat, and smaller parties could collectively win about five. The official results are scheduled for November 14.

Pollsters emphasize that the election remains competitive. Axis My India’s Pradeep Gupta highlighted the close nature of the contest and the potential impact of the Jan Suraaj Party, which may have drawn nearly 4% of the vote share. He noted that a significant portion of Kishor’s support might have originated from traditional NDA voters, which could influence seat distributions.

Analysts point out that new political entities are often underestimated in surveys. If Kishor’s support base significantly exceeds expectations, potentially reaching 8-10%, the electoral landscape could shift dramatically.

Reflecting on the 2020 Bihar elections, exit polls had largely favored the RJD, predicting substantial losses for the NDA. However, the final results showed the NDA securing 125 seats, just enough for a majority, while the MGB garnered 110 seats. The RJD emerged as the largest single party with 75 seats, closely followed by the BJP with 74.

This election also witnessed a historic surge in female voter turnout, with women outnumbering men at the polls for the first time. The overall voter turnout reached 66.91%. Election Commission data reveals that 71.6% of women cast their votes, a significant increase compared to the 62.8% turnout among men, marking the largest gender gap in the state’s electoral history. This increased participation by women could play a pivotal role in determining the final outcome as Bihar awaits its next government.

Choudhary’s declared assets surpass Rs 11 crore, making him the wealthiest among the key contenders. His wealth is heavily weighted towards immovable properties, estimated at Rs 9.30 crore. Movable assets include substantial investments in bonds, shares, and mutual funds (around ₹32 lakh), bank deposits (approx. ₹27 lakh), and insurance/PPF schemes (₹18.5 lakh). He and his wife also jointly own gold valued at Rs 40 lakh, with a combined cash holding of over Rs 1.7 lakh.

In comparison, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s assets are considerably more modest, totaling approximately Rs 1.64 crore. The majority of his wealth, about Rs 1.48 crore, is in the form of land and property. His liquid assets, including cash and bank deposits, amount to roughly Rs 16.97 lakh.

The financial disclosures offer a glimpse into the personal wealth of those vying for power in Bihar, highlighting significant disparities among the state’s political elite.

In a significant message shared on the X platform, Prime Minister Modi urged all eligible voters in the 121 constituencies going to polls today to cast their ballots with enthusiasm. He extended special congratulations to the state’s young citizens venturing into the electoral process for the first time, reminding them of their civic duty. The initial phase of these pivotal state elections will see 3.75 crore voters determining the outcome for 1,314 candidates across 18 districts. Polling commenced at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm, with comprehensive security measures in place, including the deployment of central forces in sensitive areas to ensure a free and fair electoral process. Key political figures, including INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP, are among those whose fates will be decided in this opening round.

The NDA has finalized its seat distribution, with the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party each contesting 101 seats. Smaller allies, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) – RV, will fight on six and 29 seats respectively.

Challenging the incumbent NDA is the Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Indian National Congress, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and Left parties. While seat-sharing agreements were not fully finalized, leading to friendly contests on some seats, the alliance aims to prevent the BJP from gaining an advantage.

Adding another dimension to the electoral battle is Jan Suraaj, led by political strategist Prashant Kishor, which has declared its intention to contest all 243 seats independently.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, which previously secured five seats, plans to contest a significant number of constituencies, raising concerns about potential vote polarization, particularly in Muslim-majority areas.

The following is a comprehensive party-wise breakdown of candidates and their respective constituencies for the major alliances: NDA, Mahagathbandhan, and Jan Suraaj.

Across the board, 32% of all candidates have declared criminal cases, with 354 individuals facing grave offenses. Notably, 33 candidates are accused of murder, and 86 face attempted murder charges. Crimes against women are also prevalent, with 42 candidates linked to such offenses, and two individuals specifically disclosing rape charges.

The data indicates a party-wise distribution of these serious allegations. Every candidate from the Communist Party of India (Maxist) is implicated. For other parties, the figures are: 80% for CPI, 64% for CPI (Marxist-Leninist), 60% for RJD, and 56% for BJP. Congress follows with 52%, JD(U) with 26%, and AAP with 20%.

When considering all declared criminal cases, RJD leads with 76% of its candidates having records, followed by BJP and Congress at 65% each. CPI and CPI (M) have 100% of their candidates with criminal cases. JD(U) stands at 39%, AAP at 27%, and BSP at 20%.

Beyond criminal records, the electoral landscape is dominated by ‘crorepatis,’ with 40% of candidates possessing assets over Rs 1 crore. The average declared wealth is Rs 3.26 crore. While nearly half are highly educated, women constitute only 9% of the total contenders.