Bihar elections 2025: Phase 1 of voting begins across 121 seats

Polling in Bihar began on Thursday, with 121 constituencies in focus in the first phase. Over 1,314 candidates are fighting to grab an MLA seat at the assembly in one of the two phases of the Bihar elections.

The first phase, which began at 7 am and will continue until 5 pm, will see a total of 3.75 crore voters picking their preferred candidates. Top leaders, such as the INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial face, Tejashwi Yadav, and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP, are among the candidates running in this phase.

The first phase of the two-stage election will set the tone for the entire contest, covering a politically diverse region that includes parts of Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, and Gopalganj. The second phase of the election will be held on November 11, while the results will be announced on November 14.

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PM Modi’s urge to voters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged voters in Bihar to exercise their franchise with full enthusiasm in the first phase of the Assembly elections.

“Today Bihar celebrates the first phase of the festival of democracy. Му appeal to all voters of this phase in the assembly elections is that they should vote with full enthusiasm,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

“On this occasion, I specially congratulate all my young colleagues in the state who will cast their vote for the first time. Remember, vote first, then refreshments (pehle matadan, phir jalpan)," PM Modi said.

बिहार में आज लोकतंत्र के उत्सव का पहला चरण है। विधानसभा चुनावों में इस दौर के सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे पूरे उत्साह के साथ मतदान करें। इस मौके पर पहली बार वोट डालने जा रहे राज्य के अपने सभी युवा साथियों को मेरी विशेष बधाई। याद रखना है- पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2025

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The big contest

This election will see participation from 7.43 crore voters, including 14 lakh first-time voters, who will choose between three distinct political visions for the state’s future. The NDA currently holds 131 seats, while the Grand Alliance has 111 in the outgoing assembly.

In the seat-sharing arrangements, the BJP and JD(U) are each contesting 101 seats, while the RJD has fielded the largest number of candidates within the opposition alliance. The ultimate outcome will hinge on how voters respond to these competing political narratives.