Voting is underway in 121 of Bihar’s 243 assembly constituencies in the first phase of the 2025 elections, featuring a three-way battle between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the opposition Mahagathbandhan, and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party. Polling began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, though some booths will close an hour earlier.

By 11 am, the state recorded an overall turnout of 27.65%, with Begusarai leading at 30.37%, Lakhisarai close behind at 30.32%, and Patna showing the lowest participation at 23.71%. Key contenders include BJP’s Samrat Choudhary, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, JD(U)’s Anant Singh, and BJP candidate Maithili Thakur.

This election marks the debut of the Jan Suraaj Party, which has fielded candidates across all 243 seats. Tejashwi Yadav, contesting from Raghopur, aims to retain his seat against BJP’s Satish Kumar, who had earlier defeated Rabri Devi in 2010.

Around 3.75 crore voters, including 10.72 lakh first-timers, are casting their votes across 45,341 polling stations in 18 districts such as Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Gopalganj. Among the total candidates, 122 are women.

The NDA includes JD(U), BJP, LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, while the Mahagathbandhan features RJD, Congress, and several Left parties. The Election Commission has reported smooth polling with only minor technical issues in EVMs.

Leaders including Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav have already cast their votes. RJD leaders accused authorities of power cuts at strong booths, which the Election Commission dismissed as false. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah urged high voter participation, saying each vote contributes to Bihar’s development and stability.

Voting in Naxal-affected areas like Bhimband resumed after two decades, with locals expressing satisfaction over improved security and infrastructure. The final results will be announced on November 14.