High voter turnout indicates a wave in favour of NDA: Pradhan

Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election in-charge in Bihar Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday (November 7, 2025) that the high polling percentage in the first phase of the Bihar election indicated a “pro-incumbency vote”. He rejected the Opposition’s claim that it was a “warning bell” for the ruling NDA in the State.

On Thursday (November 6), 121 Assembly segments went to the polls in the first phase and registered a 64.66% turnout, the highest in the history of the State.

“It (voter turnout) is fantastic. It indicates a pro-incumbency vote. In the recent past, there have been many instances of people coming out in large numbers to vote for the incumbent. The same is happening in Bihar where the people’s trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar remains rock solid and as high as the Himalayas. Women had come out to vote in large numbers and people interviewed by the media have clearly said that they were voting for development and security,” Mr. Pradhan said.

The Minister said that there “is a clear indication of which way the wind is blowing”.

“The NDA’s electoral policy is based on good governance, which is opposite to the image of ‘jungle raj’ of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-Congress regime,” he said.

Mr. Pradhan agreed with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s estimate that the NDA could win “more than 160 seats” in Bihar’s 243-member Assembly.

Asked about Mr. Kumar becoming the Chief Minister again, he said, “We have repeatedly said that the post of the Chief Minister is not vacant in the NDA. For the past 20 years, this post has been held by the same person. Yes, this problem may arise in the Opposition, where several members of the same family are vying for the post.”

Mr. Pradhan targeted RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the chief ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc, saying that it was his misconception to consider the “bumper turnout” as a sign of victory for the RJD-led alliance. He said, “In a democracy, people have the right to dream. The results will reveal everything in a few days.”

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s allegation of “vote theft”, the Minister said it reflected the “mental bankruptcy of the Opposition leader”.