Bihar is set to vote in the second and final phase of the 2025 Assembly elections today, marking the decisive round in the high-stakes contest between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc.
Voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm, with extended hours in sensitive areas. The Election Commission has urged voters to reach booths early and adhere to polling guidelines.
Polling will be held across 122 constituencies where 1,302 candidates, including several ministers in the Nitish Kumar government, are in the fray. Around 3.7 crore voters will cast their ballots at 45,399 polling stations, more than 40,000 of which are in rural areas.
Security has been stepped up across Bihar, with over four lakh personnel deployed to ensure smooth voting. Paramilitary forces, bomb squads, and senior officials are on alert, especially in districts close to the Nepal border.
This round covers northern and eastern districts such as West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, and Kishanganj. The Seemanchal belt, which includes Araria, Kishanganj, and Supaul, will be closely watched for its complex social and religious mix. The NDA has focused on issues of infiltration, while the INDIA bloc banks on minority and backward-caste consolidation. The Champaran region will test the BJP’s support among upper castes and OBCs.
Among key contestants, JD(U) veteran Bijendra Prasad Yadav seeks an eighth straight win from Supaul, while BJP’s Prem Kumar is aiming for another victory from Gaya Town. Other ministers in the fray include Renu Devi, Neeraj Kumar Singh “Bablu”, Leshi Singh, Sheela Mandal, and Zama Khan. Former deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad is contesting from Katihar for a fifth term.
For smaller NDA allies, such as Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha, this phase will be a crucial test. HAM is contesting six seats, including Imamganj, where Manjhi’s daughter-in-law Dipa is in the race. RLM has fielded Snehlata Kushwaha from Sasaram and Madhaw Anand from Madhubani, both debutants.
On the INDIA bloc side, Congress state president Rajesh Kumar is defending Kutumba, CPI(ML)’s Mehboob Alam is contesting Balrampur, and Congress’s Shakeel Ahmad Khan is in the fray from Kadwa. Chanakya Prakash Ranjan, son of JD(U) MP Giridhari Yadav, has switched to the RJD and is contesting Belhar, a seat drawing attention for its dynastic angle.
This phase also features several party-hoppers. Sangita Kumari, a former RJD MLA from Mohania, is now contesting for the BJP. Vibha Devi, who moved from RJD to JD(U), is in the fray from Nawada, while Murari Gautam, formerly a Congress minister, is contesting Chenari on an LJP (Ram Vilas) ticket.
The Hisua seat in Nawada has the largest electorate, with 3.67 lakh voters. Lauria, Chanpatia, Raxaul, Triveniganj, Sugauli, and Banmakhi each have 22 candidates in the contest. Of the total electorate, 1.75 crore are women, and more than 2.28 crore are aged between 30 and 60 years.
The first phase of polling on 6 November, held across 121 constituencies, saw a record turnout of over 65 per cent, the highest in Bihar’s electoral history. The high participation has set the stage for a tight finish as voters decide the state’s political direction in this final round. Results are set to be declared on November 14.
