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In a landslide that stunned many political observers, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) — under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar — together claimed an overwhelming 202 out of 243 seats in the Bihar assembly elections of 2025.
The margin was not just numerical; it was a testament to how masterful political arithmetic, social engineering, and ground campaign discipline combined to decimate the opposition. Here’s how the Modi-Nitish juggernaut rolled.
The Nitish–Modi Factor: The Power of Their Combo
At the heart of the success was the deeply resonant partnership of Nitish Kumar, the long-time chief minister, and Narendra Modi, the prime minister and national face. Nitish remains a figure of enduring trust in Bihar: his image as “Sushashan Babu” – a leader of order, development, and low corruption – proved central. Analysts note that despite concerns over his age and past “flips,” his governance record still inspires loyalty.
Modi, meanwhile, lent national imprimatur: his campaign blitz sharpened the contrast with the opposition, while his development narrative meshed neatly with Nitish’s promises. The synergy was more than symbolic — it was tactical: BJP and JD(U) contested on equal terms in many seats, signaling genuine power parity and mutual respect within the alliance.
NDA’s Art of Coalition: Unity in Diversity
The National Democratic Alliance in Bihar was not just a marriage of convenience; it was carefully architected. The NDA’s seat-sharing deal — spanning BJP, JD(U), and smaller partners such as LJP (Ram Vilas) and HAM(S) — was struck with remarkable precision. Rather than compete, the parties prioritized stronghold constituencies, avoided self-destructive overlaps, and pooled resources for maximum electoral leverage. This cohesion shielded the NDA from internal friction and allowed it to present a unified front.
Haunting Memories of Jungle Raj: The Ghost of Lalu
One of the most potent themes in the NDA campaign was the specter of “Jungle Raj” — the lawlessness associated with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s regime in the 1990s and early 2000s. Modi and Nitish repeatedly invoked that chaotic past, painting the opposition — especially RJD — as a threat to law and order.
Even though this election went off without major violence and was among the most peaceful in recent memory, the “goon raj” narrative struck a chord. For voters wary of instability, it reinforced the NDA as the only credible bulwark—a return to the past, they were told, would be disastrous.
Women Voters: The New Power Bloc
Perhaps no demographic proved more decisive than women. Turnout among female voters surged, in some districts exceeding men by double-digit margins. The NDA’s message, combining welfare with dignity, resonated: schemes such as the Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which women received ₹10,000 to start entrepreneurial ventures, proved especially galvanizing.
Nitish has cultivated women as a political base for years — from free bicycles for schoolgirls to liquor prohibition — and in 2025, that investment paid off handsomely. The turnout was not just large; it mattered. Many analysts believe this newly empowered, welfare-minded female electorate swung critical constituencies.
Nimble Responses: The NDA’s Ground Game
The NDA’s campaign was not reactive — it was proactive, disciplined, and highly adaptive. The leadership responded quickly to opposition claims, refined messaging, and used welfare delivery and grassroots outreach as proof of its competence. Nitish crisscrossed the state, attending an astonishing number of rallies and staying visible in a way that undercut Tejashwi Yadav’s attacks on his age and vitality.
Moreover, the NDA’s welfare programs were not cosmetic; they were deeply embedded in the campaign narrative. Free electricity for the first 125 units, increased pensions, support for Anganwadi and Jeevika workers — these were not afterthoughts but central to how the NDA defined its offer to voters.
Punching Mahagathbandhan’s Mistakes
The opposition Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) failed to field a coherent, unified vision. Critics note that it suffered from infighting, poor messaging, and a narrow caste calculus. Rather than capitalizing on anti-incumbency, they were plagued by a fragmented campaign focus — and the NDA seized on every misstep.
The NDA relentlessly attacked the opposition’s reliance on identity politics, corruption, and instability. Their critique wasn’t just negative; it painted the Mahagathbandhan as disorganized, internally divided, and incapable of governing.
RJD’s Grip Was Strong, But Not Enough
It’s important not to overstate the defeat: the RJD did retain considerable strength in its core base — Muslim and Yadav voters. But that base, once large enough to dominate state politics, was insufficient in this election. The NDA’s broader outreach to non-Yadav backward castes, extremely backward classes (EBCs), Dalits, and even sections of upper castes diluted the RJD’s leverage.
Worse for the Mahagathbandhan, women and backward-class voters who historically leaned toward Lalu’s politics appeared increasingly alienated — the NDA’s message of welfare and governance resonated more than the old RJD identity themes.
Rahul Gandhi’s Vote-Chori Strategy Backfired
In a surprising strategic misstep, Mahagathbandhan’s leaders leaned heavily on allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft), particularly invoking Rahul Gandhi’s warnings about electoral roll manipulation. But the Election Commission and NDA dismissed those claims, and many voters appeared unpersuaded by the drama. Rather than mobilizing support, the accusations served to underscore opposition disunity and distraction.
Tejashwi vs. Nitish: A Leadership Mismatch
Tejashwi Yadav, the youthful face of the RJD and Mahagathbandhan, was in many ways the antithesis of Nitish. While Tejashwi pursued vigorous critiques of corruption and dynastic politics, he could not match Nitish’s narrative of governance, experience, or reliability. Analysts argue that Tejashwi’s campaign lacked the trust and gravitas to dislodge an established incumbent whose nickname, “Sushashan Babu,” still carries weight.
Even his rallies, while energetic, did not convince swathes of the electorate that he was ready to lead. For many, the choice boiled down to experience versus promise — and Bihar voters chose the former.
Beyond Caste: The New Electoral Arithmetic
One of the ironies of this election was how caste — long the bedrock of Bihar politics — seemed to matter less than before. While caste identity remained relevant, the NDA’s broader social coalition diluted traditional divisions. The alliance leveraged an expanded social base: EBCs, upper castes, non-Yadav backward castes, women.
Forward vs. backward, Yadav vs. non-Yadav — these classic fault lines were undermined by a more inclusive, welfare-driven narrative. The NDA’s caste matrix proved that a smart cross-cutting coalition can shrink the power of rigid vote blocs.
The Grand Alliance That Wasn’t Grand
Finally, the Mahagathbandhan — though labeled “grand” — lacked the cohesion, organizational strength, and unifying vision required to win. Rather than being a united front, it appeared as a coalition of convenience, fragmented by competing ambitions and narrow strategies. The NDA, by contrast, presented unity in purpose, clarity of mission, and coordinated execution. That contrast was stark and unforgiving at the ballot box.
Looking Ahead
Bihar’s 2025 verdict is more than a regional outcome: it is a lesson in coalition politics for India’s national parties. The Modi-Nitish alliance demonstrated that welfare delivery, disciplined messaging, and social engineering can still trump traditional geopolitics of caste. For the Mahagathbandhan, the task ahead is existential: if they hope to challenge the NDA in future, they will need to rebuild not just their vote-bank, but their narrative.
For Modi and Nitish, this is a triumphant reaffirmation. For voters in Bihar, it may well feel like a vote for stability, dignity, and governance — a repudiation of fear, fragmentation, and unfinished promises.
Winning the elections is one thing and fulfilling the electoral pledges is another. If the NDA-JD(U) were to keep its electoral vote base happy it must deliver on its promises that’s gonna cost about Rs 28,000 crore ($318 million) and difficult to raise. The fastest way to do this is scrap prohibition, which the women wanted, to raise about Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore immediately and raise taxes on a host of government services and commodities that might spike inflation in the state that could backfire angering voters.
So, the challenge remains for the BJP- JD(U) on the deliverables however sweet the victory may sound as the Mahagatbandhan will resort to “knives out” once taxes are levied and prohibition is scrapped to win back women voters who made this difference this year. Time will tell, but Nitish and Modi are masters of governance, and they would find ways to surmount this.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.
