The Bihar election results brought a dramatic mandate on Friday, as the ruling NDA was able to sweep the electoral battle and extend Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's nearly two-decade-long dominance in the state. What was expected to be a close contest between the NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan instead turned into a decisive win for the ruling alliance. The NDA comfortably crossed the 200-seat mark in the 243-member assembly, while the Mahagathbandhan fell short, winning under 40 seats. Congress, once a significant force in Bihar politics, witnessed a near wipeout, winning barely 10 per cent of the 61 seats it contested.
Also Read | PM Modi reacts on BJP and NDA alliance's landslide victory in Bihar polls - here's what he wrote
Tejashwi retains Raghopur amid tense battle
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face, managed to survive in his family bastion of Raghopur in Vaishali district. Though the contest was far from smooth. Unlike in 2020, when he won smoothly, the lead fluctuated throughout the day, making the result uncertain until the final count. Despite the tense battle, Tejashwi emerged victoriously, retaining his stronghold.
Anant Singh triumphs from jail
JD(U) heavyweight Anant Singh once again proved his stronghold in Mokama. Out on bail in connection with the recent killing of Jan Suraaj worker Dular Chand Yadav, Singh won despite spending much of the polls period behind bars.
Maithili Thakur becomes youngest MLA
The eventual winner, folk singer and social media influencer Maithili Thakur, made a striking debut, winning Alinagar on a BJP ticket by over 11,000 votes, defeating veteran RJD leader Binod Mishra. Thakur's victory marks BJP's first win in Alinagar since 2008 and makes her the youngest member of the Bihar assembly.
Also Read | Nitish Kumar: The journey of ‘Munna’ from Bakhtiarpur to Bihar’s evergreen ‘Sushasan Babu’
High-profile defeats shake Bihar politics
Bhojpuri star Khesari Lal Yadav failed to convert his stardom into votes, as he lost Chapra by over 10,000 votes to BJP's Chhoti Kumari. Similarly, Tej Pratap Yadav, the estranged RJD leader who contested on his own party's ticket, lost with a heavy margin in Mahua. RJD's Yusuf Salahuddin was defeated in Simri Bakhtiarpur, losing to Sanjay Kumar Singh of Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV) by over 7,000 votes.
