NEW DELHI: BJP leader and West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday hailed the National Democratic Alliance’s strong showing in the Bihar Assembly elections, declaring, “Ek hi slogan hai — Bihar ki jeet hamari hai, ab Bengal ki baari hai,” meaning, “There is only one slogan — Bihar’s victory is ours, now it is Bengal’s turn.” With the NDA crossing the 200-seat mark in the latest trends, Adhikari said the alliance was on course to set a major milestone in the 2025 Bihar polls. Reiterating his message, he told reporters, “Ek hi slogan hai — Bihar ki jeet hamari hai, ab Bengali ki baari hai.”
Notably, West Bengal will go on poll next year in the mid May-june.
JDU National Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad thanked the people for the decisive mandate in favour of the NDA, saying it reflected public recognition of the progress achieved under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership in good governance, development, and employment. He added that the central support extended to Bihar during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eleven years in office also played a key role in securing this historic victory. Urging the opposition to adopt a more constructive approach, he said they should reflect on and learn from their shortcomings.
In contrast, as the Congress continued to struggle in Bihar, senior leader and MP Digvijaya Singh urged the party to shift its focus toward strengthening its booth-level structure instead of relying heavily on rallies and large public meetings. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Singh also accused the election machinery of large-scale irregularities, alleging that around 62 lakh names were removed from the voter list, 20 lakh votes were added, and nearly 5 lakh votes were cast without completing the required enumeration form during the SIR process.
Singh wrote, “What I feared has now been proven correct. A total of 62 lakh votes were deleted, 20 lakh votes were added, and almost 5 lakh votes were cast without filling the SIR form. Most of the removed voters belonged to poor, Dalit, and minority communities. Additionally, concerns about the EVM remain.”
He added that Congress must prioritise improving its organisational strength, noting that modern elections depend on continuous engagement at the polling booth rather than public meetings. Singh also extended his congratulations and best wishes to the candidates who secured victories.
Earlier on Wednesday, following exit polls predicting a sweeping NDA win, Singh had alleged manipulation of both the voter list and EVMs. “When I visited the state, the contest appeared evenly matched. If the NDA secures more than 140 seats, it will be due to a manipulated voter list and tampered EVMs,” he said.
According to the Election Commission’s latest figures, the Nitish Kumar-led NDA was leading in 202 seats, with the BJP ahead in 91, JDU in 80, LJP in 22, HAM in 5, and RLM in 4. Meanwhile, the RJD led in 26 constituencies, Congress in 4, CPI(ML) in 4, and CPI-M in 1, bringing the Opposition’s total to 35. The BSP was leading in one seat and AIMIM in five.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Pawan Khera described the Bihar election as a direct battle between Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the people of Bihar. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he criticised the CEC, claiming that early trends indicated Kumar had an advantage over voters. “These are only early trends; we are watching,” Khera said. “But what they show is that Gyanesh Kumar seems to be gaining the upper hand over Bihar’s people. I will not underestimate the voters—they have shown courage despite SIR irregularities and vote theft. This election is a direct contest between the Election Commission of India and Bihar’s citizens, and we will see who ultimately wins.”
