Bihar Assembly Elections: Campaigning Concludes for First Phase Ahead of November 6 Polls

Campaigning for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections officially concluded on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at 6 p.m., marking the end of intense electioneering across the state. Political parties and alliances made their final push to woo voters ahead of the polling scheduled for November 6. This phase will see 121 assembly constituencies spread across 18 districts go to the polls, with the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates to be decided by over 3.75 crore electorates. The elections are being conducted in two phases, with the second phase of voting set for November 11, and the counting of votes for all 243 assembly seats scheduled for November 14, 2025.

High-Stakes Campaigning by Key Leaders

The final day of campaigning witnessed a flurry of rallies and roadshows by prominent national and state leaders. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saw active participation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP President J.P. Nadda. Other notable campaigners for the NDA included Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Prime Minister Modi addressed rallies in Saharsa and Katihar districts, while Home Minister Shah held public meetings in areas like Darbhanga.

On the other side, the INDIA Bloc (Mahagathbandhan), comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties, also intensified its efforts. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the alliance's Chief Ministerial candidate, held numerous rallies and press conferences, including one in Patna. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, also campaigned extensively.

Key Alliances and Electoral Promises

The primary contest is between the NDA and the INDIA Bloc. The NDA's campaign focused on themes of 'governance and stability,' promising one crore jobs in the next five years, industrial parks, a defence corridor, and a flood panel. They also highlighted women's upliftment.

The Mahagathbandhan, in turn, made several significant promises, including:

• Guaranteeing a government job for one member of every family.
• Providing free electricity for irrigation to farmers.
• Offering a bonus over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy (₹300 per quintal) and wheat (₹400 per quintal).
• An annual transfer of ₹30,000 to women under the 'Mai Bahin Maan Yojana'.
• Reservations for Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in government contracts and private educational institutions.
• Making all contractual and outsourced employees permanent.

A new political front, the Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, also participated, focusing on governance reform, youth employment, and rural empowerment.

Security and Key Constituencies

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has implemented elaborate security arrangements for the first phase. These include deploying one General Observer in each constituency, conducting webcasting at all polling stations for close monitoring, and deploying adequate Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police have been instructed to maintain 'zero tolerance' towards any violence.

Several high-profile constituencies are part of the first phase. These include Raghopur, where Tejashwi Yadav is contesting; Mahua, where his brother Tej Pratap Yadav is trying his luck with a new political outfit; and Tarapur, where Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary is a candidate. Other key seats include Lakhisarai, contested by Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Alinagar, where folk singer Maithili Thakur is a BJP candidate.