Review of Bihar Assembly Elections

The Bihar Assembly elections for 243 seats are scheduled to be held around October–November 2025. Since the 2020 elections, the ruling JD(U)–BJP coalition has undergone several strategic shifts, leading to political instability in the state.

Voter List Revisions (SIR)

The Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked intense debate and objections. Several regional political parties allege that the process could be manipulated to benefit the NDA.

65 lakh voter names allegedly deleted
A major controversy has arisen over claims that around 6.5 million names were unfairly removed from the voter list. Opposition parties, including CPI(ML), have accused the Commission of lacking accountability, though internal silence within some parties has drawn criticism. Additionally, nearly 5,000 individuals from Uttar Pradesh have reportedly been added to the list under different names, raising questions of transparency.

Supreme Court Intervention

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the BJP of “serious malpractice” in the SIR process, claiming that the right to vote—a fundamental constitutional right—is under threat.

Political Campaigns and Voter Rights Movement

Led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress–INDIA bloc recently completed a 16-day “Voter Adhikar Yatra” to raise awareness about voter rights, electoral transparency, and the protection of democracy. Kharge alleged that the central government is planning “vote theft” through the SIR process and urged the people of Bihar to remain vigilant. He also criticized CM Nitish Kumar, saying he had shifted from being a “socialist” to a pawn of the BJP–RSS.

Opposition Support from States

Tamil Nadu CM M. K. Stalin criticized the Election Commission as a “puppet” and condemned the removal of names from the voter list as an “attack on the right to vote.”

Electoral Battle: Close Contests and Small Margins

• Close defeats in previous polls: In the 2020 elections, more than 30 seats were decided by margins of less than 3,000 votes. These constituencies are expected to be the real battleground in 2025.

• Emerging player: Under the leadership of Prashant Kishor, Jan Suraaj is emerging as a new political force. He claims Nitish Kumar’s weakening position and their grassroots structure could give them an edge.

Key Trends

• Alliances: Bihar politics remains unstable, with shifts between NDA, Mahagathbandhan, and back to NDA.

• Voter List: Massive exclusions under SIR have raised serious doubts over electoral fairness.

• Electoral Battles: Dozens of seats are highly competitive—small swings could change outcomes.

• New Challenger: Jan Suraaj could disrupt existing equations in unpredictable ways.

• Campaign Narrative: The Voter Adhikar Yatra has boosted the confidence of the opposition.