 "People stand in a queue to cast their votes for Bihar state election at a polling booth in Patna. File image/AP")
All eyes are on the Bihar election results, and the exit polls have already given a clean sweep to the NDA. However, remember, it’s a state that outsmarts pollsters.
The numbers tell the story of muscle, money, material and a stark gender imbalance.
One-third of all candidates are facing serious criminal cases, including murder and crimes against women
From the massive field of 2,616 candidates, the share of women stands at 10 per cent, with the number of third-gender candidates at two.
Of the 2,600 candidates, 550 are Class 12 pass, 589 are graduates, and 384 hold higher degrees.
Of the total 2,600 candidates, over 40 per cent are crorepatis. The richest candidate is Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh from Lauriya constituency, and his declared assets are worth Rs 368.98 crore.
RLJP’s Nitish Kumar, from the Gurua constituency, is the second richest candidate, with declared assets worth more than Rs 250 crore.
Munger constituency’s BJP candidate, Kumar Pranay, has assets of over Rs 170 crore.
As Bihar awaits the verdict, here’s a snapshot of the 2,600-plus candidates in graphics, shaping the 2025 Assembly race - their riches, education, gender representation, and more.