Bihar Assembly Election 2025 Live Updates: Prashant Kishor clarifies on dual voter IDs; slams SIR exercise

Campaigning for the 2025 Bihar assembly elections is in full swing, with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) eyeing another five years in power and the opposition Mahagathbandhan looking to unseat it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Nitish Kumar — who has held the post since November 2005, in stints with both alliances — are spearheading the NDA’s campaign. On the other side, the Mahagathbandhan’s drive is being led by Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the bloc’s largest constituent.

The Mahagathbandhan partners — RJD, Congress, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and the Left parties — have declared Yadav as their chief ministerial face, though seat-sharing talks are still underway. VIP chief Mukesh Sahani has been named as the prospective deputy chief minister, with more deputy CMs likely if the alliance wins. The NDA, meanwhile, has finalised its seat distribution, and Janata Dal (United) leader Kumar is expected to return as chief minister if the coalition retains power.

Polling for all 243 assembly constituencies will be held on November 6 and 11, with counting scheduled for November 14.

03:41 (IST) Oct 27

Tejashwi Yadav-Chirag Paswan war of words over RJD's 'unwillingness' to support a Muslim as Bihar CM

Responding to Paswan’s recent comments on his late father Ram Vilas Paswan’s wish to see a Muslim chief minister in Bihar in 2005, Yadav said, “It doesn’t matter what he says or does not say. What’s his vision?” He added that Paswan was “feeling uncomfortable” in the ruling NDA.

Earlier, Chirag Paswan made a social media post where he accused the RJD of being "unwilling" to support a Muslim chief minister either in 2005 or now.

03:40 (IST) Oct 27

Mahagathbandhan's poll promises for 'new Bihar'

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, addressing a rally in Patna, announced a series of welfare measures for Bihar’s Panchayati Raj representatives, should the INDIA bloc come to power in the upcoming elections.

Tejashwi promised a substantial increase in per-quintal margin money for PDS distributors, along with pension schemes and a Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for Panchayat and Gram Kachari representatives. “The INDIA bloc, if voted to power, will double allowances of representatives of Bihar’s Panchayati Raj system,” he said.

Campaigning for the 2025 Bihar assembly polls is growing increasingly intense, with leaders of the two main alliances — the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan — trading barbs daily.

The NDA has been warning voters against the possible return of “jungle raj” (lawlessness) if the Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) — the bloc’s largest constituent and long associated with that label — comes to power. The RJD and its allies, meanwhile, are projecting themselves as a viable alternative to the Janata Dal (United), whose leader Nitish Kumar has been Bihar’s chief minister since November 2005, including two stints in alliance with the RJD.