Bihar Elections Phase 1 All Set: 121 Seats in First Big Test

Bihar Elections Phase 1: 121 Constituencies to Vote in Crucial Political Test

Bihar’s long electoral season begins on November 6, as voters in 121 constituencies across 18 districts head to the polls in the first phase of the state’s two-part Assembly elections. The contest, spread across November 6 and 11, will decide the fate of 243 Assembly seats, setting the course for the state’s political direction over the next five years.

The Election Commission of India has announced extensive arrangements to ensure smooth polling, including additional security in sensitive constituencies and improved facilitation measures for first-time voters. With an electorate of over 7 crore voters and more than 2,600 candidates in the fray, this year’s election is being watched closely across the political spectrum.

Bihar Elections Phase 1: NDA, Mahagathbandhan and a New Challenger

At the heart of the race are the two principal alliances — the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United), and the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian National Congress and Left parties.

Adding a new dimension to Bihar’s political battlefield is the Jan Suraaj Party, led by political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor, contesting broadly across the state in its electoral debut. The party’s promise to redefine governance and challenge traditional political loyalties has attracted attention, particularly among young voters and first-time participants.

Bihar Elections Phase 1: Key Battlegrounds and High-Profile Contests

Several heavyweight candidates are in the fray in this first phase.

• Tejashwi Yadav, RJD’s chief ministerial face, is defending his seat in Raghopur against BJP’s Satish Kumar Yadav and Jan Suraaj’s Chanchal Singh.

• Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary (BJP) is contesting from Tarapur (Munger) against RJD’s Arun Kumar.

• Tej Pratap Yadav, contesting from Mahua, faces a triangular contest with RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Raushan and LJP’s Sanjay Singh.

• In Alinagar, BJP’s Maithili Thakur faces RJD’s Vinod Mishra, while in Hasanpur, JD(U)’s Raj Kumar Ray is pitted against RJD’s Mala Pushpam.

A total of 16 ministers are contesting in this phase — 11 from the BJP and 5 from the JD(U) — making it a critical test for the ruling coalition’s grassroots connect.

Bihar Elections Phase 1: Star Campaigners and Fiery Rhetoric

The campaign trail has seen a parade of national leaders descending on Bihar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have jointly appealed for continuity and stability, highlighting what they describe as two decades of “sushasan” (good governance). BJP national president J.P. Nadda coined the slogan “NDA stands for HIRA — Highway, Internet, Railway, Airport,” underscoring the alliance’s development plank.

From the opposition camp, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the NDA of “vote chori” (vote theft) and alleged that names of lakhs of electors were struck off the rolls. Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party joined the Mahagathbandhan campaign, urging voters to “vote for jobs and youth leadership.”

The rhetoric has been sharp. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claimed there was a “clear wave” for the NDA and predicted a “two-thirds majority,” while Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the BJP’s momentum as a “tsunami.” On the other side, RJD’s Mrityunjay Tiwari asserted that the NDA “won’t even cross 60 seats,” accusing the ruling alliance of arrogance and broken promises.

Bihar Elections Phase 1: Development, Migration, and Disillusionment

While high-voltage speeches have dominated the headlines, issues of unemployment, migration, agrarian distress, and education remain central to the voters’ concerns. Opposition leaders have accused the NDA of failing to provide adequate jobs and curbing outmigration, while the ruling alliance touts its infrastructure expansion — from new airports in Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, and Bihta to expressways and modernised airports in Patna.

The decline of healthcare and education, rising costs for farmers, and the call for caste-based justice and representation have also shaped the campaign discourse.

The Stakes in Bihar Elections Phase 1

The first phase covers politically diverse regions, from the industrial belts of Munger and Begusarai to the agricultural heartlands of Samastipur and Khagaria, and the border districts of East and West Champaran. Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm, though voting in select constituencies such as Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Mahishi, and Jamalpur will end an hour earlier due to security considerations.

In the 2020 Bihar election, these 121 constituencies were nearly evenly split — the NDA won around 59, while the Mahagathbandhan secured 61. The closeness of that contest reveals how crucial Phase 1 will be in shaping the 2025 outcome.

Counting Day and What Lies Ahead

The second phase of polling will be held on November 11, and the results will be declared on November 14. With Bihar’s political balance historically swinging on narrow margins, the first phase’s turnout and outcomes could set the tone for what is expected to be one of the state’s most consequential elections in recent memory.