Bihar Elections: High Voter Turnout and Tensions as Phase 1 Begins

PTI, PATNA, NOV 6, 2025 : Over 60 percent of the 3.75 crore voters cast their ballots by 5 p.m. on Thursday in the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections, despite some stray incidents of violence, including an attack on the vehicle of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha. Begusarai district recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.32%, followed by Samastipur (66.65%) and Madhepura (65.74%).

The first phase is critical for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc, with several key figures from both sides in the fray, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers. The ruling NDA, which has been in power for 20 years (with a few interruptions), is banking on its image of "sushasan" (good governance) to counter the opposition's narrative of "jungle raj" from the previous RJD-Congress rule.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing rallies in constituencies for the second phase, pointed out the high participation of women voters as a sign of support for the NDA, remarking that "mothers, daughters, and sisters have been the worst sufferers of 'jungle raj'. Today, they seem to have put up a fortress around polling booths to prevent its return."

On the other hand, the opposition, led by Lalu Prasad Yadav, is pushing for a change in leadership. Lalu has called for a "Tejashwi government" to bring about a "new Bihar," comparing it to a "roti" that gets burnt if not flipped in time.

There have been allegations and counter-allegations about the voting process, with Deputy CM Sinha claiming that his vehicle was attacked by RJD supporters trying to intimidate voters. The RJD, in turn, alleged that voting was being deliberately slowed down in areas strong for the INDIA bloc—a claim rejected by the Election Commission.

Additionally, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is positioning itself as a potential game-changer in this election. Kishor, known for his strategic acumen, has vowed to reform Bihar, including scrapping the state's controversial prohibition law.

Polling was held across 18 districts, with Muzaffarpur and Gopalganj seeing turnouts above 58% by 3 p.m., while the capital, Patna, recorded a turnout of 48.69%.