#BiharPolls: Voting Ends for Phase 2 of Elections; Strong 67% Voter Turnout
Phase 2 of the Bihar polls saw a strong 67% voter turnout, reflecting fierce INDIA-NDA competition and high public engagement.
Phase 2 of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 commenced on November 11 with brisk voting across 89 constituencies spanning five districts—Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Supaul, Araria, and Katak (partial)—amid heightened security measures following a recent explosion in Delhi that prompted a statewide high alert. Over 1,302 candidates, including heavyweights from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) spearheaded by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, vied for seats in this crucial leg of the five-phase poll scheduled to conclude by November 25, with results expected on December 5. Polling stations opened at 7 AM and closed at 6 PM, with electronic voting machines (EVMs) deployed under tight vigilance from over 100,000 personnel, including Central Armed Police Forces, to ensure a peaceful process in a state notorious for electoral volatility. Early reports indicated smooth commencement in most areas, though isolated complaints of technical glitches surfaced, prompting quick replacements by election officials.
The phase pits NDA's focus on development and governance against INDIA's narrative of social justice and anti-incumbency, with voter turnout projected to hover around 60-65% based on Phase 1's 58.5% participation on November 4. Key battlegrounds include Jhanjharpur (SC-reserved), where RJD's Renu Paswan challenges JDU's Devendra Paswan; Madhubani, pitting JDU's Neeraj Kumar Babloo against RJD's Ajay Kumar; and Supaul, featuring RJD's Vijay Kumar against JDU's Dileshwar Kamat. Prominent leaders urged turnout: Nitish Kumar, seeking a ninth term, appealed for support to "build a stronger Bihar" via JDU's welfare schemes; Tejashwi Yadav, RJD's face, rallied youth on job creation promises; and Prashant Kishor, whose Jan Suraaj Party fields 200+ candidates statewide, predicted a "clean sweep" in eastern seats by channeling anti-corruption sentiments. Congress, allied with RJD, emphasized caste census implementation, while BJP's narrative centered on Modi's "double-engine" growth model.
Campaigning, which wrapped on November 9, was marked by star-studded rallies: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed crowds in Bhagalpur on November 8, slamming opposition "dynasties" and vowing infrastructure boosts like the Patna-Purnea motorway; Rahul Gandhi, in a Patna roadshow, accused NDA of favouring corporates over farmers, pledging MSP guarantees if INDIA forms government. Tensions simmered with sporadic clashes between JDU and RJD workers in Araria, leading to FIRs and EVM training drives to preempt disputes. Analysts note this phase's demographic mix—30% Yadav-Muslim voters favouring RJD, balanced by upper-caste consolidation for BJP—could tilt the 243-seat assembly's balance, where NDA holds a slim 125-seat majority from 2020.
As voting progresses, authorities monitor real-time data via the Voter Helpline app, with webcasting at 50% of booths for transparency. Exit polls from Phase 1 suggested a neck-and-neck contest, with NDA at 48% vote share versus INDIA's 45%, potentially amplified here by urban migrant returns. Bihar's polls, influencing national dynamics ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha, underscore caste arithmetic and economic pledges, from Nitish's ethanol plants to Tejashwi's unemployment dole. With 3.4 crore eligible voters in these seats, the phase's outcome could redefine alliances, especially if independents or smaller parties like the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) fragment votes. Officials anticipate 70% turnout in urban pockets like Darbhanga, barring weather disruptions from lingering monsoon remnants.
Also Read: Bihar Phase 1 Polls: 42.31% Turnout by 1PM, Gopalganj Leads Early Surge
