The 2025 Bihar Assembly election has narrowed into a sharply defined battle; not merely between two alliances but between two towering figures whose rivalry has shaped and re-shaped the state for decades. As Bihar prepares for the second and final phase of polling on November 11, the political spotlight has shifted squarely to Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav dynamic, which is once again dominating the state’s election narrative.
After nearly 20 years in power, Nitish Kumar faces unprecedented political strain. Once hailed as “Sushashan babu” for restoring order after the Lalu-Rabri years — labelled “jungle raj” by his supporters — Nitish is now grappling with voter fatigue, an eroding support base and intense scrutiny over his repeated alliance shifts. But if the JD(U) leader is battling anti-incumbency, Lalu Prasad Yadav is determined to ensure that this election delivers a definitive end to his long tenure.
[img=1px,1px]https://data.indianexpress.com/election2019/track_1x1.jpg[/img]‘People will get me killed’: Tej Pratap gets additional security following death threats amidst Bihar elections
Nitish-Lalu alliance possible?
Speaking to The Indian Express, the RJD patriarch made his intentions unmistakably clear. “Is baar hum berozgari ko dur karenge…We are going to form the government — and we are going to remove Nitish Kumar,” Lalu declared. In perhaps his strongest statement yet, he dismissed any possibility of another post-poll reconciliation. “Ab hum Nitish Kumar ko sweekar nahin karenge…We are not in contact with Nitish,” Yadav told IE.
Yet, Bihar’s political chatter tells a more complicated story. Veteran political commentator Neerja Chowdhury noted in her column that Patna is abuzz with speculation about whether Nitish might attempt another dramatic U-turn — as he has done several times in the past — if the BJP denies him the Chief Minister’s chair even after an NDA victory.
If the post-poll numbers favour the Mahagathbandhan, many believe Nitish could still explore a fresh alignment with the RJD-Congress combine, despite Lalu’s public refusal, Chowdhury stated.
NDA under Nitish or vice-versa?
During an interview with India Today TV in October, when Home Minister Amit Shah said that the CM of Bihar would ultimately be chosen by the newly elected MLAs after NDA wins, it didn’t sit well with the current CM’s camp.
The statement sent shockwaves through the JD(U) ranks, where it was viewed as a deliberate signal that Nitish’s future was not set in stone.
While several NDA leaders have since rushed to clarify that Nitish would indeed helm the government if the alliance returned to power, the ambiguity continues to hover over the campaign. Neerja Chowdhury further noted in her column that of late, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also gone out of his way to highlight Nitish’s contributions to Bihar.
This tension, between Lalu’s categorical stance and Nitish’s unpredictable political instincts, has become the defining subtext of the election’s final stretch.
ALSO READDelhi Pollution: Why GRAP-III still isn’t triggered despite severe AQI
Second and last phase of election
Meanwhile, 122 of Bihar’s 243 constituencies will vote in the concluding phase on November 11. The first round of polling on November 6 saw a 64.6% turnout, with Begusarai topping the charts at 67.32% and Sheikhpura recording the lowest at 52.36%. The result of the polls will be declared on November 14.
As votes are cast and calculations unfold, Bihar waits to see whether this election will mark the end of Nitish Kumar’s two-decade rule or whether the veteran leader still has one more political twist left in him. |
