Bihar Election Results 2025: NDA Dominates as Jan Suraaj Fades

The early trends from the Bihar elections on March 5, 2025, indicate a significant lead for the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while the much-anticipated debut of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj appears to be faltering. As counting progresses, the NDA, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), and several smaller parties, has established a commanding presence across most regions, leaving the opposition alliance, Mahagathbandhan, struggling to keep up.

The current scenario highlights a notable absence of Jan Suraaj, which was once touted to “reshape Bihar’s politics from the ground up.” According to early counting reports, the NDA has surpassed the majority mark, showcasing strong performances from both the BJP and JD(U). Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress, and Left parties, is trailing behind. While the RJD leads among its coalition partners, it still cannot compete effectively with the NDA’s broad support.

To understand the current political landscape, it is essential to examine Bihar’s voting history. In the 2005 elections, the RJD secured 23.46 percent of the vote, while the JD(U) and BJP garnered 20.46 percent and 15.65 percent respectively. By 2010, the RJD’s share had dropped to 18.84 percent, as the JD(U) rose to 22.58 percent. The BJP also increased its support, achieving 16.49 percent, while the Congress improved slightly to 8.37 percent.

In 2015, the RJD rebounded to 18.35 percent, but the BJP took the lead with 24.42 percent. The 2020 elections saw the RJD at 23.11 percent, while the JD(U) fell to 15.39 percent and the BJP settled at 19.46 percent. Seat distributions also tell a compelling story. In 2005, the RJD won 75 seats, while the JD(U) and BJP claimed 55 and 37 respectively. The 2010 elections shifted the balance dramatically, with the RJD winning only 22 seats compared to the JD(U)’s 115 and the BJP’s 91.

The early trends from the current election reflect this historical context. The NDA has surged ahead, with both major partners performing strongly. The Mahagathbandhan is lagging, although the RJD is emerging as a leading party within the coalition in several constituencies.

The absence of Jan Suraaj from the early results is particularly striking. Despite entering the elections with over 200 candidates, the party’s influence is significantly diminished, with its vote share failing to make a mark in close contests. Kishor had initially aimed for all 243 seats, but faced defections and setbacks that led to a significantly reduced candidate list. He set ambitious expectations for his party, declaring that failing to meet targets would be a personal defeat.

Pre-election exit polls had already suggested a challenging debut for Jan Suraaj, with predictions of securing no more than five seats. Kishor chose not to contest personally, turning focus to whether his party could leave any impact on the established dominance of the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. As the counting progresses, it remains to be seen if Jan Suraaj can carve out a space for itself in Bihar’s complex political landscape.

The unfolding results from the Bihar elections reveal a familiar narrative, with established political players reclaiming their positions. As the counting continues, the fate of Prashant Kishor’s venture into politics remains uncertain, highlighting the challenges faced by new entrants in a historically entrenched political arena.