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

VIP chief and Mahagathbandhan's Deputy CM face, Mukesh Sahani says, "...I have been declared the deputy CM face, why would I go with the BJP? I will work under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav, who is my younger brother...If I join hands with them, will they consider me a leader? I will have to obey the decision given from Delhi...The BJP always breaks the party with which they form an alliance; they destroyed Shiv Sena (UBT), you can see the condition of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also..."

Bihar Minister Mangal Pandey on the Mahagathbandhan releasing its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 says,"It’s very clear, the people of Bihar do not believe in slogans or promises; they believe in work. The people of Bihar can see how Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s government has carried out development work across the state. They have also witnessed how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has supported Bihar’s growth, from economic packages to the approval of various development schemes. Today, the benefits of these schemes are reaching every household. There isn’t a single home in Bihar that has not benefited from either the central or the state government’s programmes. Every family now recognises that both the central and state governments are working together as true public servants, ensuring that development and service reach every household."

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "...Those who are claiming to give a new vision to Bihar are accused of 420. We did not say this. 15 days ago, the Delhi court framed charges. The trial is about to take place. They are also accused in land for jobs scam. RJD is a school of corruption. This is their past, this is their present, and this will also be their future..."

Jan Suraaj Founder Prashant Kishor said, "I am a voter from the Kargahar Assembly constituency since 2019. For two years, when I was in Kolkata, I had made a voter ID card there. Since 2021, my voter ID has been for the Kargahar Assembly constituency. If the ECI is saying that my name is enrolled as an elector in other places as well, then why are they troubling everyone by carrying out the SIR? I have nothing to do with the notice issued by the ECI."

Tejashwi Yadav, Pawan Khera and Dipankar Bhattacharya were present as the Mahagathbandhan unveiled its joint manifesto in Patna for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Yet the spotlight also fell on who wasn’t there — another day marked by Rahul Gandhi’s absence from the poll-bound state.

The document was branded as “Tejashwi’s Prann,” featuring a prominent image of the RJD leader on its cover, with Rahul's small image at the top left — a detail that may hint at the shifting centre of gravity within the alliance.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "Tejashwi Yadav is the CM face of our alliance. We have announced that after winning the elections, he will become the CM. Those raising questions don't have the guts to announce Nitish Kumar as the CM face of the NDA."

Days after announcing Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial face, the RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday released its manifesto, titled "Bihar ka Tejashwi Prann," for the upcoming Bihar elections. The move sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown against long-incumbent CM Nitish Kumar’s NDA.

The RJD-Congress-led alliance’s “Tejashwi ka Prann” echoes a similar tone to the BJP’s “Modi ki Guarantee,” a slogan the ruling party has heavily relied on. Likewise, the Mahagathbandhan’s call for a “Viksit Bihar” mirrors the BJP-led Centre’s “Viksit Bharat” vision, which aims to be achieved by 2047.

VIP chief and Mahagathbandhan's Deputy CM face, Mukesh Sahani said, "Today we have launched the Sankalp Patra for a new Bihar...For the next 30-35 years, we will work for the service of the people of Bihar. We will fulfil all the public's aspirations. We will complete all the promises made to the public...The public of the state is standing in support of the Mahagathbandhan and we are forming the government in Bihar. On the other hand, the NDA has no 'Sankalp'."

On Jan Suraaj, Founder Prashant Kishor enrolled as a voter both in West Bengal and Bihar, BJP MP Rajeev Pratap Rudy said, "...We all the politicians need to stay cautious...There is no need to have any discussion on him as he has no ground in the elections..."

Union minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said, "Home minister said thrice that we are contesting Bihar elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar...He said that in 2020, Nitish Kumar didn't want to be the CM. But PM called him up and insisted for the same; he did become the CM. This time too, he has said that we are contesting elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. CM will be elected by the Legislative Party...Those who want to stoke unnecessary controversy over this are doing negative propaganda."

On posters calling Tejashwi Yadav 'Nayak' reportedly put up outside RJD office, Union minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh says, "When they have to get their own posters made and put them up by themselves, who is stopping them? Were you not trying for 20 years? You put up posters each year, but people of Bihar reject you every year because you don't deserve it. Your family doesn't deserve it. You cannot run Bihar. People of the state know it. You spread frenzy in the name of caste and religion and you want to come to power in Bihar!..."

On Mahagathbandhan to release Bihar election 2025 manifesto today, Union minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh says, "If they have to do only lip service and if Bihar is never going to give them the opportunity to implement that manifesto, then they can announce anything. What announcement can someone who has no knowledge of Bihar, no knowledge of the resources of the state, no knowledge of the development model of the state, make? He has no knowledge. He is not assessing the condition of the state. His parents were CMs of the state from 1990 to 2005, for 15 years. What was the budget of Bihar? Rs 26,000 Crores yearly, the highest. What road did his father construct? There was no electricity in Bihar. The kidnapping industry was working here. There was no law and order here. But they were not bothered...Today, in 20 years of governance, the Budget has been increased to Rs 3,17,000 Crores this year...He knows only to make announcements for cheap publicity."

On the second phase of SIR in 12 States, UTs, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh says, "...The Constitution of India gives the right to vote to every Indian. But a group of corrupt 'yuvraj' and 'yuvranis' are taking out yatras to save the votes of infiltrators and fake voters. This is an act of treason against democracy and the Constitution of India."

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday said the INDIA bloc’s manifesto will serve as a “vision document” to make Bihar the top state in the country.

“We have a vision for the state and a roadmap for its growth. It (the manifesto) can also be called the ‘Tejashwi Pran Patra’ (Tejashwi’s resolution document),” he told reporters.

Slamming the NDA, Yadav added, “We announced our CM face ahead of the polls... What about the NDA parties? They have neither declared their CM candidate nor released its manifesto. They simply copy our promises.”

He further alleged that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi had failed Bihar. “Whenever the PM comes to Bihar… he abuses opposition leaders and promotes negative politics,” he said.

BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok says, "SIR is the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission. They lost faith in democracy after losing so many times...What is the conspiracy in the purification of the voters' list? Who can have any problem with it? Why should a person have his/her name on the voters' list in different places simultaneously?..."

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial nominee Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday urged the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to declare its chief minister candidate for the upcoming Bihar elections. Speaking ahead of the launch of the Mahagathbandhan’s manifesto, *‘Tejashwi Pran Patra’*, Yadav said he wanted to know the NDA’s “agenda and vision” for the state, accusing them of focusing only on negativity.

“We have announced the CM's face as well. Today, we are going to release the 'Tejashwi Pran Patra' on how we are going to work for the next 5 years. We want NDA to announce the name of their CM. What schemes do they have? What is their vision, and how are they going to take Bihar forward? We have given a roadmap, a vision, and we are clear that we will make Bihar number one. They only speak negative things and make allegations about our leaders,” Yadav told reporters.

Taking aim at Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Yadav criticised the “chaotic” conditions passengers faced during Chhath Puja, saying people had “made up their mind for change.” The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, which includes Congress, Left parties, and VIP, faces the NDA alliance led by the BJP and JD(U) in the November 6 and 11 polls, with results on November 14.

Mahagathbandhan CM candidate and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "We have announced the CM's face as well. Today, we are going to release the 'Tejashwi Pran Patra' on how we are going to work for the next 5 years. We want NDA to announce the name of their CM. What schemes do they have? What is their vision, and how are they going to take Bihar forward? We have given a roadmap, a vision, and we are clear that we will make Bihar number one. They only speak negative things and put allegations on our leaders..."

As political activity intensifies in Bihar, with the Mahagathbandhan expected to release its manifesto, Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Tuesday dismissed the move, calling it “not a big deal” as he believes the opposition will not come to power in the poll-bound state. Questioning the credibility of their promises, Paswan argued that around seven lakh crore rupees would be needed to provide government jobs to nearly 2.5 crore families—far exceeding Bihar’s current three lakh crore rupees budget.

“What's the big deal in making announcements if you know that you are not going to be in power?... Where will that budget come from?” Paswan told reporters.

He further accused Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav of “lying without consequence”, saying, “If they don’t have to come to power, what’s the harm in making big promises?”

Earlier, Paswan performed Chhath Puja at his Patna residence and wished prosperity for Bihar as the election campaign gathers momentum.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has expelled 27 leaders, including two MLAs, four former legislators, and an MLC, for anti-party activities ahead of the Bihar assembly elections. RJD state chief Mangani Lal Mandal said the leaders were suspended from primary membership for defying the party’s ideology and supporting rivals of the RJD or Mahagathbandhan. The expelled MLAs are Chote Lal Rai and Mohammad Kamran. Bihar’s 243-member assembly will vote on November 6 and 11, with results on November 14.

On Mahagathbandhan to release its manifesto today, Union minister and LJP Ramvilas Chief Chirag Paswan says, "What's the big deal in making announcements if you know that you are not going to be in power? What is the basis for those announcements? On the one hand, you claim that one of your biggest announcements is that we will provide government jobs to every family. What is the budget of Bihar? It's Rs 3 lakh crore. Even if you calculate the bare minimum salary, you'll need at least Rs 7-9 lakh crore to provide government jobs to approximately 2.5 crore families. Where will that budget come from? How will you fulfil all the other announcements you've made? When you're releasing your manifesto, please explain the path forward. How do you plan to increase the state's revenue?.. The LoP knows that if they don't have to come to power, what's the harm in lying? What's the harm in making big promises, they don't want to fulfil them..."

Union minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan says, “Tejashwi Yadav must reflect on why people started migrating. This wasn’t the case before the 1990s - it began during the ‘jungle raj’. But today, under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar and PM Modi, Bihar has seen peace and development.”

He adds, “When you talk about the MY equation -Muslims and Yadavs - you confine it to your own family. When Lalu Yadav went to jail, his wife became CM, and now his son wants to. As for Muslims, you only reach out to them for votes.”

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar was completed without a single appeal.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Election Commission should not rush to carry out a nationwide special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, but rather wait for the Bihar assembly election to get over.

According to officials, the Election Commission is likely to announce a pan-India SIR of the voters' list on Monday evening. Speaking to reporters in his assembly office chamber here after the House proceedings were adjourned for the day, Abdullah said, "There are already apprehensions about SIR in Bihar. It is not clear yet whether there will be any benefits of this exercise for those undertaking it."

"Let the elections in Bihar be completed, then we will see whether it was beneficial at all. Then we can talk about implementing it in the rest of the country," he said.

He advised the poll body not to "rush into a nationwide SIR".

"Otherwise, it will seem as if ECI has lost its independence and is working under pressure from a particular political party. We have seen this before as well. Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir was not done for the benefit of the people but for a political party. The way new seats were divided and new seats created; it directly benefited only one political party. The EC should not make this kind of mistake," the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister added.

Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav are set to share the stage for joint election rallies in Bihar on October 29. The rallies will be held in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga as part of the opposition’s campaign for the upcoming Bihar Election 2025.

On Congress's "Jan-Nayak" tweet featuring Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader & Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said," The title of 'Jan-Nayak' is given by the people of the country, it can't be self-claimed. I was told people referred to Tejashwi Yadav as 'Jan-Nayak'. Then, this is an insult to the word 'Jan-Nayak'. Karpoori Thakur ji was called 'Jan-Nayak'. What has Tejaswi done in the state?"

BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said, "There has been significant political reaction in Bihar regarding the implementation of the SIR. Tejashwi Yadav and other parties are attempting to mislead the public about it... Since Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahani's names have been announced, the Muslim community in Bihar is upset. In an attempt to appease them, they have announced plans to scrap the Waqf Act... People understand the underlying motives and will teach them a lesson through democratic means... The term ‘Bihari’, once used as a derogatory label during the Jungle Raj era, has now become a source of pride under Nitish Kumar's leadership."

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad says, "I have been included in the list of star campaigners for the Bihar elections. I am going to Bihar. The Bihar elections will create history in the country's politics because a wave of change is sweeping through the state. The government will want the opposition not to win and will make every effort to remain in power, and will be trying its best to keep the Election Commission on its side... But the people there are fully prepared; there will definitely be a change of power..."

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor said, "We are visiting every assembly constituency. Mahagathbandhan is in the third position. The fight is between NDA and Jan Suraaj. The announcements made by Tejashwi Yadav in the last 5 days have no sense at all. They are saying all this to become relevant and come to the race. Nobody is paying attention."

On the SIR issue, JDU leader Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, "This is a welcome decision by the Election Commission. The SIR has done a wonderful job in Bihar... It should be implemented nationwide, and the objective is clear: no invalid voters should be included on the list, and no valid votes should be left out..."

Singer-actor and RJD leader Khesari Lal Yadav said, "I can't understand why candidates can stoop so low to win elections as to get their own people to make videos and share them on their own IDs. Imagine their mentality? They want to share inappropriate things because they want to disturb Khesari by playing the caste card... I'm not a casteist, nor will casteism ever arise in me. People from every community love me... How I want to improve Chapra is my thinking... But to what extent are people going to win elections? They are uploading my wife's video by putting inappropriate songs on it... Don't do anything wrong like this, and don't incite casteism. First, you have to get votes in the name of religion, and then you have to use caste as a basis. This doesn't seem right to me. Winning elections by playing all these cards doesn't make sense... People know my ideology and my personal life, so it means nothing. I think this is a highly condemnable act. I would request the administration to take whatever action is possible against those who are doing such things..."

"Tejashwi Yadav has been the Deputy CM. His father (Lalu Yadav) has been the CM, and his mother (Rabri Devi) has been the CM. They should know that this case went to the Supreme Court and there is a way in which the law and Constitution work. If people like him say all this, it only reflects that Tejashwi Yadav does not respect the constitution."

Bihar's political landscape is buzzing with activity as chief minister Nitish Kumar visited Union minister Chirag Paswan's residence on Sunday, quashing speculations of a rift between JD(U) and LJP-Ramvilas.

Nitish Kumar's visit to Chirag Paswan's residence has added joy to the Chhath celebrations, dispelling rumours of a JD(U)-LJP rift.

LJP-Ramvilas national president Chirag Paswan extends Chhath wishes to Bihar and the nation, emphasising unity. He also accused the Mahagathbandhan of setting a "false narrative" during the polls scheduled to take place in 243 constituencies on November 6 and November 11.

The Union minister was referring to the questions raised by the opposition in the run-up to the assembly polls over the health of Nitish Kumar while being the Chief Minsiter of the State.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar has been the face of Bihar for 20 years, and he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have brought politics of development to the state, Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin said.

In an interview with PTI, Nabin, a BJP leader, also questioned the popularity of Mahagatbandhan's CM face Tejashwi Yadav, claiming that the RJD leader is unpopular even in his own party and family.

He also took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and questioned why he has not come to Bihar to address any rally so far, quipping that his rallies help the ruling NDA.

Asked if Nitish Kumar would be the chief minister if the NDA retains power, Nabin said, "Nitish ji has been the face of Bihar and its people for the last 20 years." However, he fell short of saying that Kumar remains the chief ministerial choice for the alliance.

Nabin went ahead to question the Mahatbandhan's announcement of Tejashwi Yadav being its CM face.

"The self-declared faces are unpopular even in their own party and family. How popular would they be among the people? If self declaration is everything, they can even announce a prime ministerial face," he said.

Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary on Sunday launched a sharp attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, alleging that the people of Bihar consider him "a thief" due to his family's history of corruption and scams.

Speaking to the reporters, Samrat Choudhary said, "Lalu Prasad's family is known for corruption and theft; that is why I said that people of Bihar consider Lalu Prasad a thief only... When he became the Rail Minister of the country, he started taking land in exchange for a job. Bihar gave power to Lalu Prasad's family for 15 years, but only 94,000 people got government jobs. In the reign of Nitish Kumar, 18.5 lakh people got government jobs..."

"That is why the people of Bihar know that on one hand, there is a government that delivers, a government that develops, a government that provides good roads... It is decided from the manifesto what they want, what its budget will be, and how its provision will be. Just by speaking, the people of Bihar will not understand. The people of Bihar have understood that Lalu Prasad's family is there to loot and to commit crimes," he said.