Bihar's Final Battle: How Second Phase Polling Could Decide State's Fate

The battle lines have been drawn, positions taken, speeches delivered, and the dice cast — campaigning for the second and final phase of the Assembly elections has officially concluded. As Bihar enters the 48-hour silence period, leaders across party lines are reviewing feedback from the first phase to refine their strategies and maximise gains in this high-stakes political contest.

A total of 122 constituencies across 20 districts will go to the polls in this phase. In comparison, 121 seats across 18 districts were contested in the first phase. This time, 1,302 candidates are in the fray, including 136 women, accounting for about 10 per cent of the total. Polling will be conducted at 45,399 centres, with 3.70 crore eligible voters, 1.95 crore men and 1.74 crore women expected to exercise their franchise.

In the 2020 Assembly election, the BJP won 42 of these 122 seats, followed by the RJD with 33, JD(U) with 20, Congress with 11, and the Left parties with five. In contrast, during the 2015 election, when the JD(U) and RJD were allies, the BJP’s tally fell to 36, while the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance captured 80 of the 122 seats.

The constituencies going to the polls in this phase are spread across Bihar’s central, western, and northern regions. The BJP traditionally enjoys strong support in the Tirhut, Saran, and northern Mithilanchal regions, which include districts such as East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, and Saran. The JD(U), though losing some ground in recent years, continues to hold influence in the Bhagalpur area. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) maintains a strong base in the Magadh region, which covers Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jehanabad, and Arwal districts.

- IANS