‘Bihar begins anew with ‘Bharatiya Sabhyata’ at its core’
By Shivang Satya Gupta
Jammu: Bihar’s latest electoral verdict has delivered a decisive political message that positions ‘Bharatiya Sabhyata’, as the central force shaping the State’s political reboot.
With the BJP–JD(U) alliance securing a dominant mandate riding on the plank of ‘nation first’, Bihar appears set to begin anew, with governance rooted in the ideals of unity, stability and national identity.
The ruling NDA on Friday secured a thumping majority in the Bihar Assembly, winning 202 seats in the 243-member House, as results for all the constituencies were declared by the Election Commission.
In an election marked by shifting loyalties and ideological contestations, the partnership between the BJP and JD (United) has not only strengthened their respective standings but has also altered the political grammar of Bihar’s democratic discourse.
The BJP’s stress on Bharatiyata—nationalism embedded in Indian civilizational values—and ‘Bharatiya Sabhyata’ served as the ideological glue binding the alliance, while also resonating deeply with voters.
For JD(U), the alliance proved transformative. Riding on the umbrella of a broader nationalist narrative, the party registered the largest jump in vote share among all major players. According to final figures, JD(U) recorded a remarkable 22.94 percentage-point surge in vote share—its steepest rise ever—accompanied by a proportional increase in seat share.
BJP, meanwhile, strengthened its footprint with a 7.40% vote-share rise, consolidating its presence across both rural and urban pockets. Analysts say these gains underscore the arithmetic and emotional appeal of a partnership rooted not merely in electoral convenience but in a shared ideological pitch.
In contrast, the Mahagathbandhan failed to match the pace or messaging of the BJP–JD(U) combine. The alliance, comprising RJD and its partners, focused heavily on state-centric issues but could not present a cohesive narrative capable of countering the sweeping nationalism driving the opposing bloc. As a result, the RJD—once Bihar’s most formidable political force—saw its vote share stagnate and ultimately slip. The party registered a 1.51% decline in vote share, leading to what observers are calling a “historic seat crash” in this election.
Political analysts attribute this decline partly to the Mahagathbandhan’s inability to articulate a vision aligned with the populace’s growing appetite for stability, national cohesion, and cultural rootedness. “The BJP–JD(U) alliance capitalised on a narrative far larger than state politics. The Mahagathbandhan was operating within the confines of old templates,” a Patna-based political commentator said.
Further amplifying the impact was the BJP’s systematic campaign messaging, which emphasised ‘nation first’, a united India, and development guided by cultural confidence. This, combined with JD(U)’s organisational reach and renewed credibility, pushed the alliance’s appeal deeper into Bihar’s social fabric. For many voters, the partnership symbolised both continuity and purpose—elements that proved decisive in the polls.
JD(U)’s strong recovery was particularly striking. Long considered vulnerable amid shifting alliances and leadership uncertainties, the party gained the most in both vote percentage and seat share. Party leaders attribute this resurgence to BJP’s nationalistic narrative, which they believe provided “ideological clarity” to the alliance and “reassurance” to voters seeking a stable, long-term political roadmap.
The results have triggered discussions beyond Bihar’s borders, with several political observers arguing that the mandate carries a broader national message. The combined gains of BJP and JD(U), and the contrasting decline of RJD, signals a strategic trend—aligning with BJP is increasingly seen as beneficial for long-term political viability, governance stability, and integration into the national development agenda.
As states and Union Territories watch Bihar’s renewed political trajectory, the message appears unambiguous: alliances anchored in Bharat-centric nationalism and cultural coherence have a significant advantage in contemporary Indian politics. Bihar, having voted decisively for such a path, now prepares to enter a new chapter—one driven by Bharatiyata at its core.
Meanwhile, the ruling NDA on Friday secured a thumping majority in the Bihar Assembly, winning 202 seats in the 243-member House, as results for all the constituencies were declared by the Election Commission.
The BJP emerged as the largest party, winning 89 seats. Its ally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), won 85 seats, while Union minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) bagged 19 seats.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), headed by former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, won five seats, while Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha bagged four seats.
Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and state ministers Prem Kumar, Maheshwar Hazari and Sanjay Saraogi, and BJP’s Maithili Thakur were among prominent winners from the NDA camp.
RJD leader and INDIA bloc’s CM face Tejashwi Yadav, the late Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son Osama Shahab and CPI(ML) Liberation’s Sandeep Saurav were among prominent winners from the opposition camp. Tejashwi Yadav won from Raghopur seat by a margin of 14,532 votes, defeating BJP’s Satish Kumar.
The INDIA bloc managed to win only 34 seats. The RJD bagged 25 seats, while the Congress won six seats, the CPI(ML) Liberation two seats and the CPI(M) one.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM won five seats, while Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Indian Inclusive Party bagged one seat each.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP won Tarapur assembly seat by a margin of 45,843 votes. Another Deputy CM, Vijay Kumar Sinha, won the Lakhisarai seat by 24,940 votes, defeating Congress’ Amaresh Kumar.
Maithili Thakur, a first-time contestant, won Alinagar seat by a margin of 11,730 votes, defeating RJD’s Binod Mishra.
Shreyashi Singh won from Jamui seat by a margin of 54,498 votes, defeating RJD’s Mohammand Shamshad Alam. State minister Nitin Nabin won Bankipur seat by a margin of 51,936 votes, defeating RJD’s Rekha Kumar.
Prem Kumar, a senior BJP leader who was the agriculture minister in the outgoing Nitish Kumar government, continued his unbroken run in Gaya Town, a seat he has been winning since 1990. He defeated his Congress rival Akhouri Onkar Nath by a staggering margin of over 26,000 votes.
Hazari, a JD(U) leader who held the Information and Public Relations Department portfolio in the Nitish Kumar government, retained his reserved seat of Kalyanpur where he trounced his nearest CPI(ML) Liberation rival Ranjeet Kumar Ram by a margin of more than 38,000 votes. He has won the seat for a fourth consecutive time.
Saraogi, a Marwari who has made a mark for himself in Bihar’s caste dominated politics, retained Darbhanga for a fifth consecutive time. The BJP leader, who was the minister for revenue and land reforms, defeated Umesh Sahni of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) by a margin of over 24,500 votes.
Other notable winners include Tourism Minister Raju Kumar Singh, who had won the seat in 2020 on a VIP ticket but later joined the BJP. He has retained the seat for the saffron party by defeating Prithwi Nath Ray of RJD by over 13,000 votes.
Other prominent winners include former minister Rana Randhir Singh of BJP (Madhuban) and don-turned-politician Anant Singh who has won Mokama, a seat he won several times and was held by his wife after conviction in a UAPA case led to his disqualification.
Anant Singh, who is in jail in connection with the killing of Dular Chandra Yadav, a Jan Suraaj Party supporter, during election campaign, defeated Veena Devi of RJD, wife of Suraj Bhan Singh, his old rival in local politics as well as the underworld.
Another notable winner was Raju Tiwari, the state president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) headed by Union minister Chirag Paswan. Tiwari had won the Govindganj seat in 2015 but lost it five years later when his party fought against the NDA. He has wrested the seat back by defeating nearest Congress rival Shashi Bhushan Rai by an astounding margin of more than 32,000 votes.
The BJP and the JD(U) contested 101 seats each, while their ally LJP (RV) put up candidates in 28 constituencies.
In the INDIA bloc, the RJD fought in 141 seats, while the Congress contested 61 constituencies and the CPI(ML) Liberation 20.
