Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: Second Phase Voting Tests Nitish Kumar's Cabinet Strength

Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: The second phase of polling commenced this morning across 122 assembly seats in multiple districts. With a significant portion of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet contesting in this round, it represents a critical juncture in the electoral process.

The voter turnout reached 47.6% by 1 pm across the 122 constituencies where voting is currently underway. Despite circulating reports suggesting discord within the opposition Grand Alliance, Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani, who also serves as the Deputy Chief Ministerial candidate for the Opposition alliance, has categorically denied such claims.

This electoral phase is widely regarded as a significant test for smaller NDA coalition partners, particularly Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha, each having been allocated six seats.

Nine ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet are participating in this phase of elections, including Bijendra Prasad Yadav (Supaul), Sumit Kumar Singh (Chakai), Mohd Zama Khan (Chainpur), Leshi Singh (Dhamdaha), Krishna Nandan Paswan (Harsidhi), Renu Devi (Bettiah), Neeraj Kumar Bablu (Chhatapur), Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur), Prem Kumar (Gaya), Sheila Mandal (Phulparas), Vijay Mandal (Sikti), and Jayant Raj Kushwaha (Amarpur).

Today's polling encompasses districts including West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, and Kishanganj, all of which share borders with neighboring Nepal.

Many districts voting in this phase are located in the Seemanchal region, an area with a substantial Muslim population, making these elections particularly crucial for both the ruling coalition and opposition alliances.

Among the most closely watched constituencies is the Kahalgaon Assembly seat in Bhagalpur district, where a four-cornered contest is taking place.

Mahagathbandhan allies RJD and Congress are engaged in a friendly competition in this constituency, while the ruling Janata Dal United is also contesting. Adding further complexity, BJP's sitting legislator Pawan Kumar Yadav has broken ranks and is contesting as an Independent candidate.

Other key candidates include state Congress chief Rajesh Kumar, who is seeking to retain the reserved Kutumba seat for a second consecutive term, former assembly speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary (RJD), Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan, and CPI-ML Legislature Party leader Mehboob Alam.

Security measures have been significantly enhanced for the second phase, with over 400,000 personnel deployed across the region.

The state recorded an impressive voter turnout exceeding 65 percent during the first phase of elections last week. Vote counting is scheduled for November 14.