Bihar Elections 2025: The stage is all set for the second and last phase of voting to be held across 122 assembly seats in 20 districts of Bihar today, 11 November. Today's voting will mark the culmination of the high-stakes Bihar Elections 2025.
The voting today will seal the fate of 1,302 candidates, including a dozen ministers in the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The first phase, held on 6 November, saw a record 65 per cent voter turnout. The results will be declared on 14 November.
Voting will begin at 7:00 am and will continue until 6:00 pm. As many as 37 million voters, including 17.4 million women, are eligible to vote today, the poll panel said. Voting is being held at 45,399 polling stations.
Key candidates in the fray today
Among the top candidates in the fray today are power minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav from Supaul, industries minister Nitish Mishra from Jhanjharpur, fisheries resources minister Renu Devi from Bettiah, and a former deputy chief minister, to name a few. The other prominent candidates in the fray from NDA include former deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad from Katihar and former speaker Uday Narain Choudhary from Sikandra.
Fates of state party presidents Rajesh Ram (Congress) from Kutumbas seat, Raju Tiwary (LJP–Ram Vilas) from Gobindganj seat, and Anil Kumar (HAM-S) from Tikari will also be sealed in Electoral Voting Machines (EVMs) today.
The main contest in Bihar is between the NDA and the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan alliance. The ruling NDA comprises of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United), among other parties. The Mahagathbandhan, or the Grand Alliance, comprises the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress as its main parties.
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party and Asaduddin Owais's AIMIM are also in the fray. The MIM won five seats in 2020 in Seemachal, the region voting in the second phase.
The ruling NDA is seeking re-election, banking on the 20-year rule of Nitish Kumar.
Among others, Ritesh Pandey, Bhojpuri actor-singer and candidate of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, is contesting from Kargaharseat in Rohtas today. Snehlata Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), wife of Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, is in the fray from Sasaram, while Dipa Kumari of HAM(S), daughter-in-law of Jitan Ram Manjhi, is the candidate from Imamganj seat voting in the second phase today.
The opposition Mahagathbandhan is seeking votes on anti-incumbency, misgovernance, and job promises.
The ruling NDA is seeking re-election, banking on the 20-year rule of Nitish Kumar in the state and the 11-year rule of the PM Modi government at the Centre. The opposition Mahagathbandhan is seeking votes on anti-incumbency, misgovernance and job promises.
