2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election

2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election

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All 243 seats in the Bihar Legislative Assembly 122 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Leader Dilip Jaiswal Tejashwi Yadav Nitish Kumar Party BJP RJD JD(U) Alliance NDA MGB NDA Leader since 2024 2017 2005 Leader's seat MLC Raghopur MLC Last election 19.46%, 74 seats 23.11%, 75 seats 15.39%, 43 seats Current seats 80 76 45 Seats needed 42 46 77
Bihar Legislative Assembly seats
Incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar JD(U)

The 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election for all 243 constituencies is scheduled to be held on October or November 2025. It will be conducted by the Election Commission of India.

The previous assembly elections were held in October–November 2020. After the election, the National Democratic Alliance formed the state government, with Nitish Kumar becoming Chief Minister. Later, in August 2022, Nitish Kumar led the JD(U) to sever ties with the NDA and formed a government with the RJD led by Mahagathbandhan. Later, in January 2024, Nitish Kumar led the JD(U) to sever ties with the RJD and once again formed a government with the BJP-led NDA.

Election Commission of India will likely announce schedule in September.

Party		Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo	Seats contested
	Janata Dal (United)			Nitish Kumar		TBD
	Bharatiya Janata Party			Dilip Kumar Jaiswal		TBD
	Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)			Chirag Paswan		TBD
	Hindustani Awam Morcha			Jitan Ram Manjhi		TBD
	Rashtriya Lok Morcha			Upendra Kushwaha		TBD

Party				Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo	Seats contested
	Rashtriya Janata Dal					Tejashwi Yadav		TBD
	Indian National Congress					Rajesh Kumar		TBD
	Left Front		Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation			Mahbub Alam		TBD
			Communist Party of India			Ram Naresh Pandey		TBD
			Communist Party of India (Marxist)			Ajay Kumar		TBD
	Vikassheel Insaan Party					Mukesh Sahani		TBD
	Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party					Pashupati Kumar Paras		TBD

Party		Flag	Symbol	Leader	Photo	Seats contested
	Jan Suraaj Party			Prashant Kishor		243[1]
	Bahujan Samaj Party			Mayawati		243[2]
	Aam Aadmi Party			Arvind Kejriwal		243[3]
	The Plurals Party			Pushpam Priya Choudhary		243[4]
	All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen			Akhtarul Iman		TBD

The 2025 Bihar Assembly election campaign centered on a mix of local and socio-economic issues. Unemployment and migration were prominent themes: parties noted that many Bihar youth migrate out of state for work, and competing manifestos promised large-scale job creation.^[5] Caste politics also remained a key factor. All major parties pledged to support a new caste census and "social justice" measures, reflecting widespread calls to address the state’s caste-based inequalities.^[6] Corruption and governance were attacked by the opposition; for example, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the Nitish Kumar government of "institutionalising corruption" and misusing government schemes (like a women’s outreach programme) for electioneering.^[7] The ruling alliance countered by criticizing the RJD’s past ("jungle raj") and highlighting its own welfare record. A major flashpoint was the voter roll revision (Special Intensive Revision, SIR) carried out by the Election Commission. Opposition parties claimed the intensive revision was a partisan tool, alleging mass deletions of voters and promising protests or even an election boycott.^[8]

• NDA (BJP, JD(U), LJP(R), HAM(S)): The ruling coalition ran on a platform of development and social welfare. It emphasized caste-based outreach and welfare delivery, and frequently invoked Prime Minister Modi's leadership. The BJP also attacked the RJD over law and order and historic scams, while JD(U) emphasized Nitish Kumar’s governance. Seat-sharing talks between BJP and JD(U) indicated a near-equal division.^[9]

• RJD (leading INDIA bloc): The RJD centered its campaign on employment, youth issues, and anti-incumbency. Tejashwi Yadav pledged massive job creation and ran a digital-heavy campaign, including AI-generated videos and memes. The RJD organized backward caste meetings and positioned itself as the party of Dalits, OBCs, and the poor.^[10]

• Congress: As a partner in the INDIA bloc, the Congress highlighted youth migration and unemployment, notably through leader Kanhaiya Kumar’s padyatra. Rahul Gandhi planned a multi-day campaign tour of Bihar in August 2025, criticizing voter list issues and advocating electoral reforms.^[11]

• Jan Suraaj Party: Led by Prashant Kishor, Jan Suraaj positioned itself as an alternative to both NDA and INDIA bloc. Kishor organized the "Bihar Badlao Yatra," pledged to contest all 243 seats, and focused on governance, education, and clean politics. He ruled out alliance with any major bloc.^[12]

The NDA comprises BJP, JD(U), LJP(R), HAM(S), and smaller allies. JD(U) pushed for a 50:50 seat-sharing formula with the BJP. LJP(R) leader Chirag Paswan publicly backed Nitish Kumar as CM face.^[13]

The INDIA bloc includes RJD, Congress, Left parties, and VIP. Negotiations among allies were reportedly settled by mid-2025, with RJD taking the largest share. Jan Suraaj Party is contesting independently.

All parties engaged in a mix of high-tech outreach and traditional campaigning. RJD’s social media team went viral with AI-based videos mocking rivals, while BJP and JD(U) used WhatsApp groups and door-to-door campaigns, especially through women vistaraks. Congress used padayatras and planned public rallies, while Jan Suraaj emphasized grassroots outreach through panchayat visits.

The most prominent controversy surrounded the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. Opposition parties alleged disenfranchisement of minorities and migrants. The matter reached the Supreme Court and became a centerpiece of the INDIA bloc’s protests.^[14]

An incident involving a portrait of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at an RJD event triggered backlash. NDA leaders and the SC/ST Commission condemned it, demanding apologies. The RJD termed it political vendetta.^[15]

Prime Minister Modi held mega rallies in Motihari and Siwan, announcing infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores. Tejashwi Yadav addressed backward caste conventions and youth-focused meetings. Jan Suraaj's Gandhi Maidan rally in Patna drew significant crowds and launched the party’s full-state tour. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi planned joint INDIA bloc rallies in August and September.

On the 24th of June 2025, the Election Commission (EC) notified that it will conduct a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar before the elections. The exercise requires all the voters from the state to fill forms to be included in the voter list. People whose names were not in the 2003 voter lists need to provide additional documents. The notification also mentioned that the documents needed to be submitted within a month (with 25th July being the deadline).

Further, the voters need to provide one of the eleven documents mandated by the EC, with the common documents such as the Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration cards, not included as valid documents. A significant number of people in Bihar do not have any of the 11 documents. Furthermore, a significant population of the state migrate in other parts of India for work or study and it is estimated that at least 75 lakh (7.5 million) people from Bihar migrate to other parts of India.^[16] Critics have argued it would be difficult for such voters to be a part of this exercise. Such factors have led to fears of mass exclusion of voters. Opposition parties - such as the INDIA alliance - alleged that such an exercise will favor the ruling NDA alliance. The Election Commission denied these allegations and claimed that the exercise is lawful and constitutional.^{[17][18][19][20]}

The SIR was challenged in the Supreme Court. On the 10th of July, the court advised the Election Commission to consider the Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration cards as valid documents for the exercise.^[21] On the 21st of July, the Election Commission responded by saying that it will not accept the Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration cards as valid documents, as suggested by the Supreme Court.^[22]

• Elections in Bihar
• Politics of Bihar
• Tejashwi Yadav
• Nitish Kumar
• Prashant kishore
• Pashupati Kumar Paras
• Akhtarul Iman
• Mahagadhbandhan
• Bharatiya Janata Party