The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) appeared firmly on course for a sweeping victory in the 243-member Bihar Assembly on Friday, with early counting trends placing the coalition comfortably above the majority mark.
The outcome reflects broad voter appreciation for the governance partnership between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose joint focus on delivery-led development shaped the campaign narrative.
Central to the NDA’s electoral momentum was the extensive rollout of welfare schemes through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) framework, ensuring transparent, leak-proof delivery of financial support.
Over 86 lakh farmers benefited from annual income assistance under PM-KISAN, while Ayushman Bharat provided up to Rs 5 lakh in free medical cover to families across the state, significantly reducing healthcare expenditure.
The Jal Jeevan Mission’s success in supplying piped drinking water to nearly all rural households, coupled with Ujjwala Yojana’s distribution of clean cooking fuel, helped transform everyday living standards.
Nitish Kumar’s Reforms Reinforce ‘Good Governance’ Appeal
Nitish Kumar’s long-standing focus on law and order, women’s security, education, and rural connectivity resonated strongly, particularly among female voters, whose turnout crossed 71 per cent. State-backed initiatives, ranging from bicycle and scholarship schemes to credit access for women’s self-help groups, amounting to Rs 46,900 crore, played a decisive role in shaping voter preferences.
The administration’s stability stood in contrast to memories of earlier misgovernance, strengthening the NDA’s narrative of continuity and improvement.
According to the Bihar Economic Survey 2024-25, the state posted robust growth, with GSDP rising by 14.5 per cent at current prices in 2023-24. Per capita GSDP surged to Rs 66,828, while the tertiary sector accounted for 58.6 per cent of the state’s value addition.
Infrastructure expansion, including rural roads growing from a few hundred kilometres in 2005 to over 1.17 lakh kilometres, and falling multidimensional poverty, now around 34 per cent, further reinforced the government’s performance credentials.
By early afternoon, the BJP led in 91 seats, JD(U) in 79, and LJP (Ram Vilas) in 22, placing the alliance close to the 200-seat mark. The opposition struggled to surpass 40 seats, with employment-centric promises failing to shift voter sentiment.
For Nitish Kumar, the results pave the way for a historic tenth term, solidifying his standing within the alliance and aligning Bihar firmly with the national vision of accelerated, inclusive development.
Also Read: Nitish Kumar Set For Historic 10th Term As Women Voters & Job Schemes Power NDA Surge
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