Page 4 - Bihar

Bihar elections voting phase I LIVE news: 64.46% voter turnout logged till 8 pm, says ECI

Bihar Assembly election 2025 phase 1 voting LIVE updates: The state capital Patna recorded one of the lowest early morning figures at 11.22 per cent, according to ECI data

Bihar sees record 64.46% voter turnout in first phase of Assembly polls

A voter turnout of 64.46 per cent was recorded provisionally at the close of polling in 121 seats in the first phase of assembly elections in Bihar on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said. A total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase, to decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, he said. Voting took place across 45,341 polling stations, of which 36,733 were in rural areas, he added. Gunjiyal said that barring a few incidents of "minor scuffles" in Lakhisarai and Saran, polling passed off peacefully. "Voting began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm amid tight security. Around 64.46 per cent voter turnout was recorded," he said. "A total of 143 complaints were received and were immediately resolved," he added. Gunjiyal said polling was boycotted in certain booths in Buxar, Fatuha and Suryagarha. The remaining 122 seats of the 243-member assembly will vote on November 11, while the counting will take place on Nove

Bihar records 64.46% voter turnout in first phase of Assembly polls

Amid stray incidents of violence, including an attack on Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha's vehicle, 60.18 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Thursday across 121 constituencies in the first phase of Bihar assembly elections. Begusarai district recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 67.32, followed by Samastipur (66.65) and Madhepura (65.74). Stakes are high for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc in the first phase of the assembly elections, with several key leaders, including RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers, in the fray. The ruling NDA, which has been in power in the state for 20 years, except for a few brief interruptions, is banking on its image of "sushasan" (good governance) in contrast to the alleged "jungle raj" that marked the 15 years old rule of the RJD-Congress combine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed rallies in a couple

Lalu Prasad hits campaign trail in Phulwari Sharif ahead of Bihar polls

RJD president Lalu Prasad, who has been keeping indoors because of fragile health, on Tuesday undertook a drive to Phulwari Sharif constituency, in what is being seen as a "road show" by the greatest crowd puller of his generation. The reserved constituency, which also has a sizeable population of Muslims, is situated just a few kilometres away from the residence of Prasad, who chose to wave at onlookers from inside his car. The septuagenarian, who has undergone a heart surgery and a kidney transplant, was last seen in public when his son Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc's CM candidate, filed nomination papers for the Raghopur seat at the collectorate in Vaishali district. Prasad, who was then accompanied by his wife Rabri Devi and eldest daughter Misa Bharti, had used a wheelchair. In Phulwari Sharif, which is being contested by RJD ally CPI(ML) Liberation, the former Bihar CM, who was travelling alone, chose not to get out of his vehicle. He returned home about an hour before ...

Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of distracting youth with social media reels

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the youth to remain busy in making social media reels, so that they stay distracted from pressing problems about education, health and employment. Addressing a poll rally in Bihar's Aurangabad, Gandhi charged the PM with promoting addiction to social media. Modi wants you to become addicted to making reels, Instagram, Facebook... This is the new high (nasha') of the 21st century. He wants such a scenario because this would ensure that the youth remain distracted, and do not hold his government accountable for their problems about education, health and employment, he alleged. Gandhi also claimed that Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were indulging in 'vote chori' (vote theft) in Bihar, as they know the NDA would not win the assembly polls. The INDIA bloc, if voted to power in Bihar, will be a government of the extremely backward, socially marginalised and Dalits, the former Congress president ...

Can Bihar's industrial push create jobs and stem its migration crisis?

From cheap internet to employment pledges, Bihar's political discourse revolves around migration, joblessness. Despite industrial efforts, most young workers still seek livelihoods outside the state

Nitish's absence from PM's roadshow 'no surprise', says Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi also criticised PM Modi's "Katta" remark during a public rally in Arrah, noting that he had never seen a Prime Minister speak such language

PM Modi, Shah, Kharge among heavyweights set to hold rallies in Bihar today

Hectic campaigning in poll-bound Bihar is set to continue on Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge scheduled to address a host of public rallies across the state. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also address two poll rallies at Sonbarsa and Lakhisarai, and hold a roadshow at Rosera. While the PM will address public rallies in Saharsa and in Katihar districts, Kharge will address a public rally in Vaishali. Shah will take part in rallies in Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Madhubani during the day. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also scheduled to address four public rallies in Patna, Saran and Muzaffarpur on Monday. Modi led a mega roadshow in Patna on Sunday evening, besides addressing back-to-back rallies in Bhojpur and Nawada districts. The Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 1

INDIA bloc govt in Bihar will stop migration, oust BJP, says Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said that if the INDIA bloc forms the government in Bihar under the leadership of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, it will check out-migration of people and force the BJP to migrate from the eastern state. Addressing a public rally in Chhapra district in support of RJD's singer-turned-politician candidate Khesari Lal Yadav, he said Bihar has always emerged as a saviour whenever clouds of danger overshadowed politics. The former chief minister of adjoining Uttar Pradesh urged people of Bihar to "safeguard politics from the dangers that surround it" through their votes. "When the new government headed by Tejashwi Yadav is formed in Bihar, it will check out-migration of common people and force the BJP to migrate from the state," he said. He exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will form the government in Bihar and the Samajwadi Party will emerge victorious in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. "Tejashwi Yadav's government will ...

Bihar Assembly polls: PM Narendra Modi leads mega roadshow in Patna

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a mega roadshow in Patna on Thursday evening. Thousands of people gathered on two sides of the road and on rooftops to catch a glimpse of Modi, who greeted them from inside his vehicle. The roadshow began from Aranya Bhawan near the Patna airport, and will conclude at the state BJP office on Birchand Patel Marg. People showered flower petals on the PM's cavalcade amid chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Modi arrived here from West Bengal on a two-day visit. After reaching the BJP office, he is scheduled to meet the party's leaders in the state. He will spend the night at the Raj Bhavan.

No double-engine govt in Bihar, Delhi controls everything: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the NDA dispensation in Bihar over unemployment and migration issues, and claimed that there is "no double-engine government" in the state as "everything is controlled from Delhi". Addressing her maiden poll rally at Begusarai in the Bihar polls this year, she alleged that the NDA government at the Centre and in the state have been indulging in "divisive politics" and propagating "fake nationalism" to divert people's attention from real issues. Asserting that the "right to vote is the biggest" blessing of the Indian Constitution, Vadra said that the NDA government has weakened people's right to vote by conducting SIR, which deleted 65 lakh voters" from the electoral rolls in the state. "There is no double-engine (government) in Bihar, but only a single engine...everything is controlled from Delhi. Neither are you being heard nor is your CM Nitish Kumar respected," the Congress MP claimed, while addressing the rally. She also ..

Priyanka confident of INDIA bloc's win in Bihar, slams NDA's poll promises

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday dismissed promises made by the ruling NDA in poll-bound Bihar and exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will win the assembly elections. She briefly interacted with journalists at the Patna airport before launching her election campaign in the state. When her views were sought on promises like "1 crore jobs" in the manifesto released by the BJP-led coalition a day ago, Vadra said, "Why now? What have they been doing all these years?" Notably, CM Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president, has been in power in alliance with the BJP since 2005, barring a few brief hiatuses on account of his own stepping down or short-lived alliances with arch rival Lalu Prasad's RJD and Congress.

Nitish Kumar urges voters to back NDA again, cites improved law and order

Asserting that "being a Bihari is now a matter of pride", Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday urged people to once again vote for the NDA in the upcoming assembly polls for faster development of the state. In a video message uploaded by his party, JD(U), on social media on Saturday, Kumar claimed that he has not done anything for his family and the state's growth has always been his priority. Kumar also said that law and order have "remarkably improved" in the state after his government came to power in November 2005. "People knew Bihar's situation before we came to power in 2005. We prioritised the restoration of law and order and established the rule of law in the state. Now, being a Bihari is a matter of pride for the residents of the state," the chief minister said. The JD (U) supremo said his government has taken several measures for the empowerment of women, Hindus, Muslims, upper castes, Dalits and those belonging to the weaker section of society and backward ...

Datanomics: Election looms in Bihar, but who's been asking tough questions?

As Bihar heads for polls on Nov 6 and 11, data shows active questioning by opposition MLAs and fluctuating assembly sittings under the NDA-Mahagathbandhan tenure

Best of BS Opinion: The night, the noise, and the need for balance

Today's pieces look at public debt and economic stability, trade as strategic leverage, the continuing unemployment crisis in Bihar, and how pollution has turned the Milky Way's light into an irritant

If elected, INDIA bloc to restore Old Pension Scheme in Bihar: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said if the INDIA bloc forms the government in Bihar, it will reintroduce the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) on the lines of his state. Talking to reporters here, Sukhu said, "There has been no sign of development in the 20 years of NDA rule in Bihar. This is evident from the fact that 64 per cent of people in Bihar live on Rs 66 per day." He asserted that there was a need to "change for good" in the state, adding that Bihar, which could have emerged as a major tourism hub, "has been left in a dismal state by the NDA government". Sukhu said the OPS was restored in Himachal Pradesh in the first cabinet meeting of his government, resulting in a tenfold increase in the pension amount for state employees. "Nearly 1.36 lakh government employees have benefitted from the scheme," he claimed. The chief minister clarified that the move was made as part of Rahul Gandhi's commitment to fulfil the Congress' promises, and not for ...

INDIA bloc to be wiped out in Bihar as Rahul insulted Chhathi Maiyya: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the INDIA bloc will be "wiped out" in Bihar polls as people will "take revenge" for Congress workers allegedly insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother and Rahul Gandhi "deriding" the PM and 'Chhathi Maiyya'. Addressing a rally in Lakhisarai district, he claimed that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, insulted 'Chhathi Maiyya' while criticising Modi, saying those worshipping the goddess were doing drama. In a jibe at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, he called upon people to press on EVM buttons having NDA symbols with such rage that the tremors are "felt in Italy". Shah claimed that Bihar witnessed 'jungle raj' during the chief ministership of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, while asserting that every vote to NDA will bring development to the state. He alleged that the UPA government indulged in scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore during 10 years of rule, whereas nobody could point fingers at Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar f

Tejashwi accuses NDA of exploiting Bihar, urges voters to 'drive them out'

Earlier, Tejashwi slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asserting that he had never seen a home minister who cited the lack of land as the reason for not setting up industries in Bihar

PM Modi, Rahul, Shah, and Nadda to address public rallies in Bihar today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BJP president J P Nadda will hold several public rallies in poll-bound Bihar on Thursday. Modi will address two public rallies in Muzaffarpur and Saran districts. The PM kicked off the NDA campaign for the Bihar assembly elections by addressing rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai on October 24. In a post on X, he wrote, "My family members in Bihar are contesting in the elections to ensure a huge victory for BJP-NDA. In this atmosphere of enthusiasm, I will have the privilege to interact with the public at around 11 am in Muzaffarpur and at 12.45 PM in Chhapra." "I am confident that in the assembly elections, my brothers and sisters of the state will once again herald a grand victory," he wrote. The poll temperature has already shot up in Bihar as Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, are set to address several public rallies in favour of their

BJP running Bihar govt through remote control using Nitish's face: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday charged the BJP with running the government in Bihar "through remote control", using the face of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha made the remark in Muzaffarpur district, where he addressed his maiden election rally in the state. "I agree with Tejashwi Yadav, who spoke just before me, that the government in Bihar is being run through remote control. They are simply using the face of Nitish Kumar," claimed Gandhi. The former Congress president also lambasted the ruling BJP at the Centre for being "against social justice" and pointed out that it was at the opposition party's insistence that the Narendra Modi government agreed to a caste census. Gandhi alleged, "Two Indias are emerging. One belongs to the common people, and the other to five or 10 billionaires. This is the reason that places like Bihar suffer in poverty, with its vast potential remaining untapped." "You all must have seen the drama th