NDA sweeps Bihar as women and youth reshape mandate

New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA alliance has secured a landmark triumph in the Bihar Assembly elections, pushing the Congress to its weakest-ever showing in the state’s political history. The NDA won an impressive 202 out of 243 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan could gather only 35. Analysts believe that this decisive mandate was largely shaped by the influential role played by women and young voters, who emerged as the core driving force behind the outcome.

For years, women in Bihar have served as a strong and consistent support base for the NDA—an advantage Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has steadily built since 2005 through a wide range of welfare programmes. Initiatives such as distributing bicycles to schoolgirls, introducing reservations for women in government jobs, and expanding the Jeevika network of self-help groups have all contributed to deepening this alliance. The recently announced das hazari initiative, which offers ₹10,000 in entrepreneurial assistance to women, further reinforced their connection with the ruling alliance during the campaign period.

This election witnessed one of the highest voter turnouts recorded in the state, with women surpassing men in voting numbers across more than 100 constituencies—an upswing that critically influenced the 2025 verdict. Due to the high migration of men from Bihar, women often handle both household responsibilities and external affairs. Their everyday realities have shaped their perception of a government they believe has responded effectively to their needs, thereby strengthening their willingness to support the NDA.

Young voters also played a crucial role in shaping the mandate. Election Commission statistics show that around 14 lakh first-time voters in the 18–19 age group participated in the electoral process. The NDA’s campaign specifically targeted this demographic by promoting themes of development and stability, while drawing sharp contrasts with the “jungle raj” associated with earlier administrations—a period that many young voters know only through stories rather than personal experience. To counter opposition promises, the alliance also highlighted its own set of welfare assurances, including domicile-based quotas for women, which helped attract a section of youth.

According to BJP sources who spoke to The Sunday Guardian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided strategic guidance to the alliance through a framework called 'GYAN'. In this approach, 'G' stands for Gareeb (poor people), 'Y' for Yuva (youth), 'A' for Annadata (farmers), and 'N' for Naari (women). These four groups formed the foundation of the NDA's huge victory in Bihar.

Party leaders said the GYAN strategy marked a big change in Bihar's politics, with voters-especially women and young people-choosing development over caste-based politics.

"The poor, the youth, the farmers, and the women have voted for the NDA in large numbers. This clearly shows support from all parts of society," they said

The NDA’s manifesto also centred heavily on the upliftment of women and youth. It committed to generating employment for one crore young people and creating one crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’. Under the newly launched Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, the government had already credited ₹10,000 into the bank accounts of more than one crore women to encourage small-scale entrepreneurship.

Among its other significant commitments were financial aid of ₹2,000 per month for SC/ST students in higher education, free ration supplies, medical treatment worth up to ₹5 lakh, and the construction of 50 lakh new pucca homes. The manifesto also pledged financial support of up to ₹2 lakh for women under the Chief Minister Women Employment Scheme to help them achieve economic independence.

For farmers, the NDA promised to raise the annual support provided under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi from ₹6,000 to ₹9,000. The aid for fishermen was proposed to be doubled from ₹4,500 to ₹9,000, and the alliance also vowed to guarantee minimum support prices across all crops.

Sources within the JDU said voters demonstrated strong faith in the Nitish Kumar-led government’s policies aimed at women, the youth, extremely backward classes, backward communities, and other disadvantaged groups.

A political analyst who spoke to The Sunday Guardian said the election results made it clear that Bihar’s electorate had decisively moved away from caste politics. “This election has dismantled the grip of dynastic politics associated with the RJD and the Congress, which historically thrived on caste-based mobilization. The NDA leadership has now emerged as the most credible symbol of social justice,” the analyst observed. He further added that voters backed the NDA to maintain continuity in development initiatives. “People have voted to ensure ongoing development remains uninterrupted, showing substantial trust in the Modi-Nitish partnership,” he said.