Bihar Election 2025: Survey signals big worry for Nitish Kumar ahead of polls

Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar. (File/PTI)

Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar is no longer the top choice to return as Bihar Chief Minister if the Assembly elections slated to be conducted later this year are held today, findings of a survey conducted by C-Voter aired by India Today TV revealed on Wednesday.

As per the survey, Nitish's ratings have taken a big hit with only 18 percent of the respondents wishing to se Nitish as the Chief Minister. O he contrary, a staggering 41 percent of the people surveyed wanted to see RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Minister of Bihar. Asked their top choice as CM, 15 percent voted for Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, 8 percent voted for BJP's Samrat Chaudhary while 4 percent preferred to see LJP (RV) president Chirag Paswan as the chief minister.

While the survey did not cover the number of seats each party could win, Nitish's popularity does not appear to be too encouraging. However, an earlier C-Voter survey, the results of which were aired soon after the Delhi election results, suggested a near sweep or the NDA, projecting victories for the ruling alliance in 33 to 35 of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats.

On the other hand, the survey projected only 5-7 Lok Sabha seats to the opposition 'Mahagathbandhan', which includes the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). In the previous Assembly elections, the RJD had emerged as the single-largest party, winning 75 of the 243 seats in the state. The BJP, which trailed at 74 seats, eventually formed a government with Nitish Kumar's JD(U) which bagged 43 seats. The Congress won 19 eats in the 2020 elections while the LJP managed to secure just 1 seat.

Among other elements covered in the latest survey, unemployment has emerged as the biggest concern for voter surveyed with a staggering 45 percent claiming joblessness as the primary issue this election followed by Inflation (11%), Electricity, water and roads (10%), and Farmers' issues and Corruption at 4% each.

As many as 50 percent of the respondents said they are angry with the current dispensation and are looking for change while 22 percent are angry but said they do not want change. On the other hand, 25 percent of those surveyed were neither angry nor wanted any change.

The survey findings further pointed out that 58 percent felt that Nitish Kumar's credibility had reduced a lot, 13 percent said it had reduced to some extent while 21 percent said they saw no reduction in the CM's credibility.

The survey findings came on a day Nitish expanded his Cabinet to full strength by inducting 7 BJP MLAs as ministers. Elections to the Bihar Assembly are expected to be held in October-November this year. The NDA has said that it will contest the elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.