10% More Women Than Men In Record Bihar Turnout, Exit Polls Predict NDA Win

Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: The districts voting today include West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj, all of which share borders with Nepal.

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Patna:

Phase 2 of assembly polls in Bihar today saw the highest ever turnout, with over 67% voting till 6 pm. Voting is being held on 122 seats, from where a chunk of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet is seeking re-election.

Here are the top 10 points from this big story:

  • Bihar recorded an unprecedented voter turnout of 68.76 per cent today in the Phase 2 polls . The final figure is expected to be higher. The turnout among women voters was 10 per cent higher than men -- 74.03 per cent to 64.1 per cent. This is being seen as good news for the NDA, which has had huge support among the state's women. 
  • Exit polls have predicted a huge victory for the ruling NDA. An aggregate of nine exit polls indicated that te NDA will win 147 seats to 90 of the opposition Grand Alliance. Exit polls, though, do not always get it right. 
  • This phase is being seen as a test of strength for minor NDA partners - Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha, both of which are contesting six seats each. Manjhi's daughter-in-law, Deepa Manjhi, and Kushwaha's wife, Snehalata Kushwaha, are also contesting.
  • Twelve ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet contested in this phase -- 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).
  • The districts that went to polls in the second phase include West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj, all of which share borders with Nepal.
  • Four of the districts are in the Seemanchal region, which has a significant concentration of the Muslim population, making this phase crucial for both the ruling and the opposition alliances.
  • Among the most-watched constituencies in this phase was the Kahalgaon Assembly seat in Bhagalpur district, which is set to witness a four-cornered contest. Mahagathbandhan allies RJD and the Congress are engaged in a friendly fight in this constituency. Also in fray is the ruling Janata Dal United. The BJP's sitting legislator, Pawan Kumar Yadav, has turned rebel and is contesting as an Independent. 
  • The other key candidates in the fray include state Congress chief Rajesh Kumar, who hopes to retain the reserved seat of Kutumba 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.
  • Other prominent candidates include BJP's Shreyasi Singh, a 2008 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and Bhojpuri singer and actor Ritesh Pandey, who has joined Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party. 
  • The state recorded a record voter turnout of over 65 per cent in the first phase of the election last week. The counting of votes will take place on November 14.

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