Bihar Election Seats: Will voters choose change with Tejashwi’s job promise or back Nitish for continuity? (Photo: ANI)
Bihar Election Seats: Bihar votes today in the first phase of the Assembly election, marking the beginning of a fiercely contested political battle that could reshape the state’s future. Polling is being held in 121 constituencies across Central Bihar, a region that often influences the overall outcome. More than 3.75 crore voters will decide the fate of hundreds of candidates in this decisive phase of the two-stage election.
The Opposition Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, is entering the election with strong momentum and a sharp focus on unemployment. Yadav’s unprecedented promise of one government job for every household has become the centrepiece of the campaign, particularly appealing to Bihar’s large youth voter base. The Grand Alliance had dominated this region in 2020, winning 63 of the seats voting today, and hopes to repeat that performance by capitalising on anti-incumbency against the current government.
On the ruling side, the NDA’s campaign is anchored by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, backed by the BJP’s organisational machinery and an aggressive outreach led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the NDA faced confusion until recently over its CM face. Speculation about whether Nitish Kumar would be replaced forced senior BJP leaders Amit Shah and JP Nadda to publicly confirm that he remains the coalition’s chief ministerial candidate. The NDA has sought to counter the Opposition’s job guarantee with promises of its own, including the creation of one crore job opportunities and economic empowerment of women to create “one crore women lakhpatis.”
The Congress, a key partner in the Grand Alliance, has struggled to keep pace. After a promising start involving a joint foot march by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, the Congress campaign lost momentum. Seat-sharing disagreements led to both the Congress and the RJD fielding candidates against each other in over a dozen constituencies. This opens up the possibility of a split in anti-NDA votes an outcome the ruling alliance hopes to benefit from.
Adding to the unpredictability of the electoral landscape is the entry of election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor and his newly formed Jan Suraaj Party. Kishor, who is contesting all 243 seats, has refused any alliance and has projected an all-or-nothing outcome for his party, claiming it will either win fewer than 10 seats or more than 150. His participation has sparked speculation about how much of the non-BJP vote he could draw away, especially among undecided and first-time voters.
Unemployment, migration, corruption, health, and quality of education are essential livelihood issues related to this election. Tejashwi Yadav’s big job promise has raised the pitch on Bihar’s employment crisis, while the NDA has contended that a jobs scheme of such a scale is economically not doable and tries to highlight the advantages of stability and uninterrupted governance.
Today’s polling will be a key indicator of public sentiments. With almost half of the Assembly seats up for grabs, the results of Phase One are likely to set the tone for Phase Two and perhaps even determine whether Bihar chooses change or continuity.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
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