NDA Takes Early Lead; Tejashwi’s RJD Still the Single-Largest Party

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) opened a strong lead over the INDIA bloc — known in Bihar as the Mahagathbandhan — across several constituencies on Friday as counting began for the 2025 Bihar assembly elections at 8 am. Despite the NDA’s early advantage, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan initially held close and even stayed ahead of the BJP in party-wise leads.

As counting progressed, however, the gap widened. By 9 am, the BJP–JD(U)-led NDA was leading in at least 99 seats, inching toward the majority mark of 122 in the 243-member assembly. The RJD–Congress Mahagathbandhan was ahead in more than 60 seats.

Counting began with postal ballots, and officials cautioned that early trends may shift once EVM votes are tallied through the day. A clearer statewide picture is expected later.

Among the prominent candidates ahead was Tejashwi Yadav, contesting from Raghopur.

This year’s elections were held in two phases on November 6 and 14, recording an overall turnout of 67.13% — the highest in the state since 1951, according to the Election Commission of India. Phase 1 saw 65.08% polling, while Phase 2 witnessed 69.20%.

Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: Key Contenders

The main contest is between the NDA — largely comprising the BJP and JD(U) — and the Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD and Congress. While Tejashwi Yadav is the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face, the NDA has not announced a nominee, though many expect Nitish Kumar to return. Some within the alliance believe a surprise choice remains possible.

In the 2020 elections, the NDA retained power with 125 seats. The BJP emerged as the dominant coalition partner with 74 seats, while Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) won 43. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan delivered a strong performance with 110 seats, making the RJD the single-largest party.

The last assembly’s tenure witnessed two dramatic shifts by JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar — first breaking with the NDA in August 2022 to join hands with the RJD and appoint Tejashwi Yadav as his deputy, and then returning to the NDA in January 2024.

Most exit polls have predicted a comfortable NDA victory in 2025, though some, including Axis My India, forecast a close contest with only a narrow edge for the BJP–JD(U) alliance.