A dramatic poster war unfolded across Patna on Thursday as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan exchanged sharp visual jibes ahead of the highly anticipated Bihar Assembly Election 2025 results. With the state witnessing a historic 67.13% voter turnout in the two-phase polls, the political atmosphere remained charged as supporters of both camps sought to project confidence through eye-catching and provocative banners.
The Janata Dal (United), which contested 101 seats, unveiled posters declaring “Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai”, featuring Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The message, dedicated by former minister Ranjit Sinha, sought to reinforce the image of Mr. Kumar as a resilient and long-standing political figure in Bihar, eyeing a record fifth term in office.
Visuals from the JD(U) headquarters showed party workers celebrating even before counting began, insisting that the NDA would comfortably return to power. The posters, which quickly captured public attention, were strategically placed in prominent areas to signal stability and continuity under the JD(U)–BJP alliance.
Opposition hits back with ‘Alvida Chacha’
Not to be outdone, the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) responded with equal vigour. Outside its Patna office, a striking poster reading “Alvida Chacha” was displayed, taking a clear dig at Nitish Kumar. The banner, which also featured caricatures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, portrayed Nitish Kumar’s exit from the chief minister’s chair, symbolising the RJD’s confidence in unseating the incumbent.
Scenes from the RJD headquarters reflected buoyant spirits, with party cadres asserting that the Mahagathbandhan would defy exit polls and achieve a “thumping majority”. Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition’s chief ministerial candidate, has repeatedly labelled the exit polls inaccurate, insisting that ground reports suggest a sweeping mandate in his favour.
Historic voter turnout and tight contest ahead
The elections, held on 6 and 11 November across 243 seats, saw one of the highest turnouts in Bihar’s history. The surge in voter participation, particularly among women, added a new layer of unpredictability to the outcome. Analysts believe that the high turnout reflects strong voter sentiment, though its direction remains deeply contested.
The NDA’s campaign centred on governance, stability and welfare schemes, while the Mahagathbandhan focused on jobs, price rise and alleged governance fatigue under Nitish Kumar. Both alliances fielded heavyweight candidates and wrapped the election in high-voltage messaging, making this one of the most watched state elections of the year.
Exit polls favour NDA, but opposition unmoved
Exit polls released after the second phase predicted a clear advantage for the ruling NDA. An aggregate of nine exit polls suggested the alliance could win around 147 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan was projected to secure about 90. The RJD’s tally was expected to fall to between 57 and 69 seats, down from 75 in the previous Assembly. The Congress was projected to slide to around 14 seats, while the Jan Suraaj Party was likely to win one seat.
The BJP was projected to emerge as the single-largest party, reinforcing the NDA’s confidence ahead of the results. However, political watchers cautioned that exit polls have often missed the mark in Bihar, a state known for unpredictable voting patterns and last-minute swings.
Tejashwi Yadav dismissed the exit polls as “misleading”, claiming that voters had decisively backed the opposition bloc. “We will form the government with a strong mandate,” he said, urging supporters to remain patient until the final results were announced.
Coalition dynamics at play
The NDA in Bihar comprises five parties, though the bulk of seats were contested by the JD(U) and BJP — both fielded candidates in 101 constituencies each. Smaller allies played key roles in micro-level mobilisation, especially in caste-sensitive regions.
The INDIA bloc consists of the RJD, Congress, CPI(ML) Liberation, various Left parties and the Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). Coalition arithmetic, caste alignments and local candidate influence remain decisive factors in Bihar’s electoral landscape, making the 2025 verdict particularly hard to predict.
Conclusion
As counting begins, Bihar stands at a political crossroads. While the NDA projects continuity through its “Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai” refrain, the Mahagathbandhan counters with “Alvida Chacha”, signalling a call for change. With passions running high and margins expected to be narrow in several key seats, the final verdict will determine not just Bihar’s next chief minister but also the political trajectories of Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav in the years to come.