Bihar Election Phase 1: Voting on 121 Seats — Who Dominated Last Time and Who Fell Behind?

Bihar: In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the first phase is considered to be an important stage, not just for voting but for deciding the direction of the entire election. With voting taking place on 121 seats, there are indications of a triangular contest between the NDA, the Grand Alliance, and the new party Jansuraj. Like the last election, a small difference can change the picture of the government this time too; hence, all the parties are considering the first phase as decisive.

Why is the first step the most important?

The first phase in Bihar politics is always not just voting but also sets the basic direction of the rest of the electoral environment. In the 2025 assembly elections also, the strength of political currents will be judged from this phase. The 121 seats on which votes are being cast today will decide the future strategy and the strength or weakness of the alliance. This time the entry of Jansuraj has made the traditional equations more complex, while both the NDA and the Grand Alliance are trying to convert the tough fight of the last election into victory.

Why was the first phase so decisive in the last elections?

In 2020, there were very tough contests for these 121 seats. The Grand Alliance got 61 seats, while the NDA won 59 seats. This difference was very small but so effective that it had a direct impact on the front seats and campaign strategy. LJP had gotten only one seat, which later went to JDU. The result was that despite almost equal vote share, the picture of the government changed. This is why the first phase is considered the most sensitive from both a political and psychological point of view.

How did each party perform in the last phase?

If we look party-wise, RJD emerged as the biggest player in 2020. By winning 42 seats, it clearly indicated that a strong start changes the game at the end. BJP showed strength by winning 32 seats, while JDU was reduced to 23 seats. Congress got 8 seats, and left parties got a total of 11 seats. These results show that in the first phase the vote bank was not just divided on two fronts, but the multi-party contest changed the entire balance.

Who has control over which districts?

In the first phase, caste equations play an important role in districts like Muzaffarpur, Saran, Vaishali, Siwan, and Gopalganj, whereas in Patna, Bhojpur, Nalanda, and Buxar, the hold of organization and leadership has more impact. In the last elections, the Grand Alliance had taken the lead in the Patna and Magadha regions, while the NDA remained strong in many areas of North Bihar.