Bihar Election 2025: Campaigning ends for phase 1, voting in 121 seats on November 6

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the youth to remain busy in making social media reels.

The feverish campaign for the first of the two-phase Bihar elections ended on Tuesday at 5 pm.  Voters from 121 constituencies across 18 districts will cast their ballots in this crucial electoral exercise that will decide the fate of 1,314 candidates in the fray. Counting of votes will be held on November 14.

The high-decibel campaign saw key campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, trade accusations and raise pertinent issues that shaped the electoral discourse.

The campaign trail saw PM Modi targeting the Mahagathbandhan over law and order, development and unemployment. Meanwhile, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of “sitting on BJP's lap”.

With a focus on youth and women, the NDA manifesto, Sankalp Patra, promised to provide one crore jobs in the next five years aimed at checking migration, a major poll issue this election.

The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, has promised government jobs to a member of every family, a review of liquor ban policy, Rs 2,500 monthly allowance for women and 200 units of free power.

Both the alliances tried to woo women, who have been a decisive factor in the 2020 and 2015 assembly elections, through various policy promises and schemes:

The NDA promised financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana. It also promised to make at least one crore women 'lakhpati didis’.  On the last day of campaigning,  RJD leader Mahagathbandhan  Tejashwi Yadav   announced that they will provide the entire annual financial aid of Rs 30,000 to women in January next year if they are voted to power in Bihar.

The announcement is seen as a bid to counter the ruling NDA's 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana', as part of which Rs 10,000 has already been transferred into the accounts of over 1 crore women to start their own businesses.

The BJP tore into the RJD and Tejashwi Yadav over “jungle raj” and graft during their rule in Bihar, saying no work of the party happens “without corruption".

PM Modi alleged that the "RJD snatched the Chief Minister candidacy from Congress at gunpoint and forced them into submission".  Gandhi also retorted by calling the PM a “coward”.

Meanwhile, Tejashwi slammed the BJP-led NDA, claiming it has turned Bihar into a “labour supplier” and failed its youth. The Prime Minister repeatedly invoked the spectre of 'jungle raj' to describe the previous RJD rule, a charge the opposition refuted with promises of jobs and development.

PM Modi and the BJP also  made the term ‘katta’ a central talking point. He repeatedly used the word in his rallies to target Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD and urged voters to reject Mahagathbandhan  and accused them of relying on intimidation symbolised by “katta”.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav as 'Pappu', 'Tappu', and 'Akku'. The BJP also raised the issue of “infiltration” which has also been a talking point through the campaign.

Meanwhile, Gandhi kickstarted the Congress' Bihar election campaign saying PM Modi would do "anything for votes".

Repeating claims that the BJP had colluded with the Election Commission to commit voter fraud and manipulate federal and state results, Gandhi said, "He (PM) just wants your vote. If you tell Narendra Modi to dance. He will dance…”

Amidst the verbal volleys, Gandhi also made a dramatic gesture by jumping into a pond in Begusarai to catch fish along with INDIA bloc’s Deputy CM face Mukesh Sahni.