Who Is the Most Preferred CM Face in Bihar? Survey Reveals Shocking Shift

Bihar is set to hold its Assembly elections in November this year, and the political climate in the state is already heating up. The ruling NDA alliance is warning voters against a return to the "jungle raj" of the Lalu-Rabri era and is urging them to reject Tejashwi Yadav. Meanwhile, Tejashwi is turning the spotlight on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s two-decade rule, criticizing issues such as unemployment, crime, and Nitish’s advancing age, while appealing for support to form a Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government led by the RJD.

At the same time, a new political player—Prashant Kishor (also known as PK)—has entered the fray, presenting himself as a fresh alternative in Bihar politics.

C-Voter Survey Reveals Preferred CM Face

Amid these developments, C-Voter conducted another opinion poll in the third week of June to determine the most preferred Chief Minister face in Bihar. This marks the fourth such survey since February; the previous ones were held in February, April, and the first week of June. The surveys track the rise and fall in popularity of key political leaders. Over the past four months, Chirag Paswan and Prashant Kishor have made significant gains in terms of public preference.

What Do the Survey Numbers Say?

According to data broadcast by television news channel, Tejashwi Yadav emerged as the top choice for the next CM in the third week of June, with 34.6% of respondents naming him their first preference. Incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dropped to third place, with only 17.4% support. In contrast, Prashant Kishor secured the second spot with 18.4%, showing a remarkable surge in popularity over the past four months.

Chirag Paswan, leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Union Minister, came in fourth with 9.9%, while Samrat Choudhary, Deputy CM and BJP leader, ranked fifth with 9.6% support.

Nitish Kumar’s Popularity Fluctuates Over Four Months

Nitish Kumar’s popularity has seen a net decline of 1% over the last four months. In February, he had 18.4% support, which dropped to 15.4% in April, then climbed back to 18.4% in early June, only to fall again to 17.4% in the third week of June.

Tejashwi Remains on Top in All Four Surveys

Despite a downward trend, Tejashwi Yadav has remained the most preferred CM face across all four surveys. He had 40.6% support in February, which declined to 35.5% in April, rose slightly to 36.9% in early June, and fell again to 34.6% in the third week of June—a 6% drop in four months, which could be a worrying sign for his camp.

Is PK Emerging as a Serious Alternative?

Prashant Kishor of the Jan Suraaj Party is rapidly emerging as a serious contender. He has now overtaken Nitish Kumar in the latest survey. His popularity rose from 14.9% in February to 17.2% in April, slightly dipped to 16.4% in early June, and surged to 18.4% in the third week of June—an impressive gain of nearly 4% over four months.

Chirag Paswan’s Steady Rise

Chirag Paswan has also seen a consistent rise. In February, only 3.7% of respondents favored him as CM. This increased to 5.8% in April and peaked at 10.6% in early June. Though it slightly declined to 9.9% in the third week of June, he still marked a significant 6%+ gain over four months.

Samrat Choudhary’s Volatile Popularity

Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary's popularity has fluctuated. In February, 8.2% of respondents favored him. That rose to 12.5% in April but dropped drastically to 6.6% in early June. In the third week of June, it recovered slightly to 9.6%. Notably, the NDA has stated that the upcoming election will be contested under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.