Bihar Election Result 2025: NDA gains huge lead, but one question – who will be the next Chief Minister?
Bihar Election Result 2025: The initial trends in the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections have brought a major turning point in the state's politics. According to Election Commission data, the NDA is leading in 189 out of 243 seats, while the opposition Grand Alliance appears to be limited to just 43 seats. These trends clearly indicate that the NDA is heading towards a historic victory in Bihar.
But amid this overwhelming lead, a question is resonating: Will Nitish Kumar be the Chief Minister of Bihar again?
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been at the center of Bihar politics for nearly two decades, is contesting this election amid numerous challenges and questions. Discussions about his health, age, and popularity have long been rife in political circles. Despite the NDA's overwhelming lead, the question remains: will Nitish Kumar once again take power?
Amit Shah's statement had sparked political uproar
The political atmosphere was stirred when Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a TV interview, "Nitish will lead our election campaign... After the elections, NDA MLAs will select their leaders and then decide together who will lead the government."
This statement was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress shared the video on Twitter, writing, "Nitish will not become CM, Amit Shah has made it clear." Following this, almost every opposition party interpreted this statement as indicating that the BJP was unwilling to express its unequivocal support for Nitish.
BJP counterattack: "The statement was distorted."
Following the controversy, the BJP released the full video and accused the opposition of misleading the public. The party insisted that Shah's statement was a reference to the normal process, which the opposition interpreted to suit its own convenience.
NDA ally and Union Minister Chirag Paswan also came forward, saying, "Shah ji has only described the parliamentary process of selecting a leader after the elections." There is no need for any confusion in this."
PM Modi's clear signal—Nitish Kumar will be the NDA's CM
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly stated in his first Bihar election rally that "Nitish Kumar is the NDA's chief ministerial face and under his leadership, the NDA will achieve a record victory." Referring to the achievements of Nitish Kumar's rule since 2005, PM Modi said, "For almost a decade, the UPA government hindered Bihar's development. But this time, under Nitish Kumar's leadership, the NDA will receive its biggest mandate ever."
Opposition claims—BJP will change its face after vote counting
Despite PM Modi's clear announcement, the RJD and the Grand Alliance continued to say that the BJP has planned to remove Nitish after the elections. Tejashwi Yadav has repeatedly stated that the decision has been made in Delhi, and Nitish will no longer be allowed to remain Chief Minister.
NDA allies also demand—the alliance should clear up the confusion
Some voices have been raised within the NDA as well. HAM (S) leader and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that the alliance should formally announce its CM candidate before the elections to avoid any misunderstandings. He also said that confusion has spread within the alliance because they haven't even been able to finalize seat sharing. The NDA should maintain clarity.
Meanwhile, RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha attempted to completely dispel these speculations. He stated that Nitish Kumar is the NDA's chief ministerial face. The elections are being fought under his leadership and he will also lead the government.
NDA's historic victory assured, but the key to power awaits
Early trends have made it almost clear that the NDA will form the government in Bihar with a landslide majority. But amid this landslide victory, who will be the Chief Minister remains the biggest political question. Nitish Kumar's experience and the Prime Minister's support favor him, but the ongoing turmoil in political circles and the differing voices within the NDA further increase the suspense. All eyes are now on the results and the subsequent formal meeting of the NDA—will Nitish Kumar return to power, or will there be a major reversal in Bihar's power?