NEW DELHI: The initial rounds of counting in Bihar’s high-stakes assembly election shows the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) taking an early lead, moving towards a potential landslide victory. The alliance is gaining leads in around 166–167 seats.
As projected by the exit polls, Bihar seems poised to return the NDA to power. One of the key factors tilting the election in favour of the NDA has been the massive turnout of women voters.
More than 2.5 crore women cast their votes outnumbering male voters, following the NDA’s announcement of a significant financial support scheme of Rs 10,000 to be deposited into the accounts of over 1.5 crore women.
Women turned out in record numbers in 2025 — 71.78% of women cast their ballots compared with 62.98% of men. Women outvoted men by more than 14 percentage points in seven districts and by over 10 points in 10 others. Patna was the only district where men outvoted women.
The NDA’s strategic use of financial incentives, coupled with concerns about a return to what it described as the “jungle raj” period under previous RJD governments, appears to have resonated strongly with women voters.
Emerging trends suggest that Bihar’s women, who make up half of the state’s population, were not persuaded by the RJD, with the NDA repeatedly reminding them of past law-and-order issues and the alleged impact on women’s safety during earlier RJD rule.
Amid these developments, the JD(U), which did not perform well in 2020, has shown a notable resurgence, taking significant leads and emerging as a stronger force within the NDA. While the RJD has managed to retain its political relevance, its ally, the Congress, has seen its prospects diminish, with early leads in only 7–8 seats.
Women voters have long been central to the JD(U)’s coalition, alongside the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), who make up more than 36% of Bihar’s 13.07 crore population. Nitish’s own Kurmi community, classified within the EBCs, accounts for around 3%.
