NEW DELHI: Women voters have emerged a decisive factor behind the National Democratic Alliance’s landslide victory in Bihar, adding to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s long cultivated image as the champion of women’s empowerment in the state.
One of the game changers in the election is said to be the pre-festive announcement of a ten thousand rupee direct cash transfer for every woman—benefiting nearly twenty five lakh women—offered immediate financial relief and expanded household liquidity.
The Lakhpati Didi programme, aimed at helping women earn at least one lakh rupees per year through entrepreneurship, further boosted confidence among first time and low-income women voters.
Another factor that helped the National Democratic Alliance is the record turnout of women voters, from 59.69% in 2020 to an unprecedented 71.6% in 2025 far surpassing the male turnout of 62.98%. This historic rise pushed overall polling to new highs and fundamentally reshaped the electoral map.
Several districts also saw extraordinary participation from women: Kishanganj topped the charts with a staggering 88.57% turnout, up sharply from 65% in 2020. Katihar (84.13%), Supaul (83.69%), and Purnea (83.66%) followed closely. In ten districts, more than three in four women cast their vote. Katihar also recorded the highest male turnout at 74.58%, still lower than the women’s figure.
Leaders within the JD(U) say the pattern is no surprise. Party leader Sanjay Kumar Jha said that women have consistently acted as a caste neutral bloc, voting on the basis of benefits that have reached them directly. He said attacks on Nitish Kumar “further consolidated women’s support”, as they see his government as the source of tangible improvements in their daily lives.
Central to this loyalty is a decade of targeted welfare schemes. The flagship Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana transformed school attendance among girls by offering free bicycles. The state introduced 50% reservation for women in panchayats and urban local bodies and mandated 35% seats for women in police recruitment. Jeevika, Bihar’s network of self help groups, provided microfinance access to millions, enabling women to start small businesses and participate in local governance.
