Bihar Elections 2025: What are parties promising in their manifestos?

Story so far: Battling incumbency, the NDA rolled out its slew of promises – one crore jobs, seven expressways, medical colleges on Thursday (October 30, 2025), urging voters to choose Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister once again. Apart from large infrastructure and economic investments in Bihar, the NDA has promised freebies in power, ration, education, medical treatment and hike in stipend to farmers, fishermen and women running self-help groups (SHGs). 

Countering NDA’s promises, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) has offered to end contact employment in government jobs, skill census, jobs, loan waivers, medical colleges and freebies in power, education, agriculture and to all women. In its manifesto as ‘Tejashwi Pran’, named after its CM pick - Tejashwi Yadav, INDIA has also promised a slew of legislations against exam paper leak, financial harassment, reservation cap and a relook at the ‘liquor ban’ currently imposed in Bihar.  

INDIA has also promised immediate release of poor and Dalits jailed for violation of liquor ban and exclusion of traditional spirits like Mahua and Toddy from liquor ban. Both mentioned ‘country liquors’ have alcohol percentages generally ranging between 4-8%, but some oak-aged versions contain almost 40% alcohol. 

Here’s a look at what these parties’ manifestos promise in different sectors

Jobs

Like the last election cycle, INDIA has remained focused on tackling Bihar’s unemployment. Their manifesto has promised to issue an official order giving one government job per family within 20 days of govt formation and within twenty months, the job process will start. Other job-related promises include making all contractual and outsourced employees permanent, providing skill-based jobs in IT parks, special Economic Zones (SEZ), industries based in dairy and agriculture, healthcare, farming, food processing, renewable energy, logistics and tourism. INDIA also vows to re-implement the Old pension scheme, issue domicile certificate to give Bihar denizens preference in jobs, reservation for differently-abled persons in government jobs. 

The scale of NDA’s promises is no different inspite of being in power since 2017. NDA promises one crore jobs and skill census which would lead to setting up mega skill centres in every district

Women

The promises to women by both coalitions vary in nature. With promises like creating one crore ‘lakhpati’ Didis and financial aid upto ₹2 lakhs, NDA has focused on economic empowerment without direct benefit transfers (DBT).  

On the other hand, INDIA has promised to make all self-help group (SHG) workers under ‘Jeevika Didi’ scheme as government employees with ₹30,000 salary per month, total loan waiver and a monthly stipend of ₹2000 for women-led SHGs. It has also offered a monthly stipend of ₹ 2500 to all women from December, totalling ₹30,000 yearly and a law against harassment by micro-finance companies for loan/interest repayment. 

Infrastructure

NDA’s biggest pitch has been the ‘Double-engine’ government – BJP in both Centre and State. With the BJP at the helm in Centre, NDA has promised to establish satellite township across cities, a new city named ‘New Patna’, international airports at Darbhanga, Purnea and Bhagalpur, ten new domestic airports, seven expressways, railway tracks spanning 3600 kms and metro trains in four cities. 

It has also vowed to pump industrial investment upto ₹ 1 lakh crore, build ten new industrial parks, manufacturing units in every district, a ‘Backend hub’ in Bihar worth ₹50 lakh crores, five mega food parks, textile and silk park in Mithila, defence corridor, semiconductor park, global tech and a fintech city in the next five years. Other infrastructure plans include setting up hundred MSME parks, 50,000 cottage industries. Many such major infrastructure promises have been announced in the Finance Minister’s Union Budget speeches for the last two years.  

Its most ambitious promise is to establish an advanced flood management system to make Bihar flood-free. Bihar witnessed massive floods during the monsoon season this year when the Election Commission conducted the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in the state, deleting 47 lakh names. 

Being out of power in the Centre since 2014, INDIA has limited its promises mostly to the State – setting up industrial clusters, upgrading district hospitals, setting up super specialty hospitals. However, it has also promised five new expressways.

Education

Special focus has been given to education by both coalitions. NDA’s promises include a ₹5000 crore-fund to renovate district schools, establishing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub via centres of excellence, autonomous medical colleges in each district, a super speciality hospital for pediatric and autism care and sports centres in every district for registered sports. 

INDIA has promised to build an Education city spanning 2000 acres, women colleges in every district and degree colleges in 136 areas where none exist currently. Providing monetary relief to student, INDIA has promised to waive fees for competative exams and free travel to and from exam centres, strict investigation into paper leaks . It has also promised a law to restrict transfer/posting of teachers, healthcare workers within 70 km of their homes.

Backward communities

Extremely Backward Castes (EBC)

The EBCs constitute the largest bloc (36%) in Bihar as per the state’s 2022 caste census – making them a wooing target for both coalitions. 

The NDA has promised financial help upto ₹10 lakhs to EBCs like Tanti, Tatama, Nishad, Mallah, Kevat, Goangoti, Bind, Noniya, Teli, Tamoli, Badhai, Dhanuk, Lahor, Kumar, Nai, Shilpakar, Tateri, Mali, Chandravanshi, Halwai, Kanu, Dangi, Turah, Amaat, Kevart, Rajavanshi and Gadereya.  A special committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge will be set to study and advise the government on steps to improve EBCs’ social and economic conditions, reads NDA’s manifesto. 

In contrast, INDIA has promised better representation with 30% reservation in panchayat and urban bodies for EBCs, interest-free cash transfer of ₹5 lakhs for five years to be given to Nai, Kumar, Badhai, Lohar, Mochi and Mali communities.

SC/STs and minorities

Cash transfers feature in both coalitions’ manifestos for Scheduled Castes (SC). NDA has promised a monthly stipend of ₹2000 to SC students, boarding schools and special venture fund for SC students and working youths. However, STs and minorities do not find a mention in their manifesto.

On the other hand, INDIA has promised to fund 200 SC students yearly if they wish to pursue higher studies abroad. It has promised To get a constitutional amendment passed to break 50% reservation limit in state, 20% reservation for SCs and hike in quota for STs as per population in urban and panchayat bodies. For minorities, INDIA’s promises are conceptual – upholding their constitutional rights and non-implementation of the amended Waqf Act.

Farmers/Fishermen

Cash benefits feature largely in all promises to farmers and fishermen by NDA and INDIA. For farmers, NDA has promised three cash transfers of ₹3000, totalling ₹9000 yearly, farm investment upto ₹1 lakh crore, guarantee to purchase crops (rice, wheat, corn and pulses) at Minimum Support Price and to double crop production with focus on self-dependence in pulse production. For fishermen, NDA will provide two cash transfers of ₹4500, totalling ₹9000. It has also promised to double fish production and set up chilling and processing centres across Bihar. 

Its rival INDIA’s promises echo a revival of previous farming structure - guarantee to acquire crops at MSP, revive farm mandis and strengthen Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in every district. 

Workers

For workers, NDA promises financial aid and skill help along with a provision of life insurance upto ₹4 lakhs for auto, e-rickshaw and taxi drivers. 

INDIA, on the other hand, has decided to strengthen its UPA-era scheme – Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). It has promised to hike daily wages of MNREGA workers to ₹300 and increase the minimum number of days to 200 days. Focusing on migrant labourers, INDIA promises a labour census and consequent training, a separate department for migrant labourers with a database to keep record of all such labourers. ‘Bihar Mitra centres’ will be established for migrant workers in Mumbai, Delhi, Surat, Bengaluru and Ludhiana to address these workers troubles. It has also promised to double salaries of gram panchayat workers and start pension for old gram panchayat workers.

Freebies for poor

Tackling the economically weaker sections basic needs, NDA has promised them free ration, free electricity upto 125 units, free medical treatment upto ₹5 lakhs, 50 lakh new pucca houses and social security pension. Girl students can avail free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Post-Graduate (PG) with nutritious mid-day meals.  

INDIA has promised a monthly stipend of ₹1500 for widows and senior citizens respectively while differently abled citizens will get ₹3000. It has also announced free electricity upto 200 units, free life insurance upto ₹25 lakhs for poor families.

Religious tourism and arts

Tourism and religion have been a constant feature in all BJP manifestos across states – often promising to build ‘corridors’ or ‘circuits’ around ancient shrines. In Bihar, BJP has announced it will build a Vishnupad and Mahabodh corridor, develop circuits spanning shrines of the Ramayan, Lord Buddha and the river Ganga respectively. With plans to boost tourism and film, it has promised one lakh green homestays, a Film city in Bihar, an Arts university and a newly-proposed Bihar school of drama and television. 

Apart from NDA and INDIA, Jan Suraaj Party – led by poll strategist Prashant Kishor is in the poll fray in Bihar, but is yet to release its manifesto. Bihar’s 243-seat Assembly goes to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11 and results will be declared on November 14.