Bihar Election 2025 News LIVE Updates: The battle of Bihar is intensifying with each passing day as the D-day nears, when 7.42 crore voters in Bihar will exercise their franchise. Political parties have been keeping a low-intensity campaign so far due to the Chhath festival. With the puja nearing its conclusion, the leaders are preparing for rallies and public meetings to counter their rivals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week addressed public meetings in Bihar, and he will again visit the state on October 30. Both BJP and Congress have already released their list of star campaigners. Congress on Sunday confirmed that the party will begin its campaign after Chhath.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, among others are scheduled to address various rallies in the state.
Nitish Kumar visits Chirag Paswan’s home
Meanwhile, amid reports of rift between Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Union Minister and LJP (RV) chief Chirag Paswan, the two leaders met on Sunday. CM Nitish Kumar visited Paswan’s home amid Chhath festivities. Chirag Paswan accused the Mahagathbandhan of setting a “false narrative” during the polls scheduled to take place in 243 constituencies on November 6 and November 11.
The Union Minister was referring to the questions raised by the opposition in the run-up to the assembly polls over the health of Nitish Kumar while being the Chief Minister of the State.
Speaking to reporters after CM Nitish Kumar visited his residence, Paswan said, “…The opposition often attempts to set a false narrative during elections that the Chief Minister is upset. There’s a rift between the JDU and the LJP. But today, I feel happy that the Chief Minister came, and it has made Chhath even more joyful at our home. I extend my best wishes for Chhath to the entire nation, and especially to the people of Bihar.”
CM Nitish’s reminder ‘Bihar before 2005’
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday asserted that law and order has significantly improved in the state after his government came to power in November 2005. He said that today, “being Bihari is a matter of pride now” for its residents.
In a post on X, the CM wrote, “People can’t forget Bihar before 2005, when crime and corruption were at their peak in the state. When our government came to power in 2005, we prioritised the restoration of law and order above all else and established the rule of law. A policy of zero tolerance was adopted for crime and corruption. Now, there is no atmosphere of fear or terror in the state. Now, being Bihari is a matter of pride for the people of the state.” Hitting out at the INDIA bloc, without taking names of the Opposition leaders, the CM said that before 2005 (when the RJD was in power), there was complete anarchy in the state.”
“It had become difficult for people to step out of their homes after 6 pm. Our sisters and daughters were not safe. Kidnapping had taken the form of an industry. Vehicles were looted from showrooms. Due to the fear of criminals, no one wanted to buy a new vehicle,” he added.
Nitish said that in 2005, the number of police stations in Bihar was only 817, which has now been increased to over 1,380,” he added.
On November 24, 2005, when the new government came to power, the strength of the Bihar Police was quite low. At that time, only 42,481 police personnel were employed, Kumar further added.
Tejashwi vows to bin Waqf Act
In what the ruling NDA called disrespect to the Parliament and the Supreme Court, INDIA bloc’s CM candidate and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday vowed to throw the Waqf Act in “dustbin” if his alliance comes to power. Addressing back-to-back public rallies in the Muslim-dominated Katihar, Kishanganj and Araria districts, Yadav said his father, Lalu Prasad, the RJD chief, never compromised with communal forces in the country.
“But Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always supported such forces, and it is because of him that the RSS and its affiliates are spreading communal hatred in the state as well as in the country. The BJP should be called ‘Bharat Jalao Party’. If the INDIA bloc comes to power in the state, we will throw the Waqf Act into the dustbin,” he said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act was passed by Parliament in April. The ruling BJP-led NDA has hailed the law as a step towards transparency and empowerment for backward Muslims and women in the community, while the opposition has criticised it, alleging that it infringes upon the rights of Muslims.
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Bihar elections 2025 live updates: Congress says oppn would keep an eye on ECI's nationwide SIR
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday said the Opposition would be vigilant in protecting the voting rights of marginalised communities as the Election Commission is set to conduct a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
"All leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, had set out to defend the Constitution. At that time of the Lok Sabha elections, the intention was to cut the votes of the Scheduled Castes, minorities, the poor, and the backward classes. The BJP wanted to take away the voting rights that Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar had provided in the Constitution," Tiwari told ANI.
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Question is on the intention behind the SIR - RJD leader on ECI's nationwide SIR plan
On SIR implementation, RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari says, "The objection arises if there is any wrong intention behind SIR, such as the intention to steal votes, or if SIR is being implemented under the government’s influence, then there will be consequences. When SIR was announced and conducted in Bihar, many objections and flaws were noticed, which were also documented and presented as evidence. SIR is a standard procedure, but the way it is being used, the effort seems to be to strangle democracy and deprive people of their rights."
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Father gives one example, son taking different stand' - Bihar minister on Tejashwi's remark on Waqf Act
On RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s statement regarding the Waqf law, Minister Nitin Nabin says, "If he wants to associate with those involved in illegal land grabbing, that’s his choice. The Waqf Bill has effectively stopped those who were acquiring property through illegal means. He should first ask his father what he himself said in the Lok Sabha wasn’t it his father who gave the example of the Dak Bungalow land? So, when the father gives one example and the son is taking a different stand, they should first clarify matters between themselves. No one has the power to stop the Waqf Bill."
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Rahul Gandhi ran away' - JD(U) says no one heard of any issue with the SIR in Bihar
JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha says, “Has anyone heard of the SIR issue in Bihar? Rahul Gandhi tried to create an issue and held a Yatra in its name. We challenged him to fight on this issue, but he ran away. With elections near, he knows he won’t get anything here - his ‘shop’ is left with nothing.”
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Waving gamchha, throwing pens' - JDU leader says Tejashwi not suitable for the CM post
On the question of Tejashwi Yadav’s suitability for the post of Chief Minister, JDU candidate Leshi Singh says, “He is not suitable. The way he presents himself on the stage as a Chief Ministerial candidate, waving a gamchha, throwing pens, if it were us, even placing a foot on a pen and notebook, we would hold it in high regard. How can someone who does not value a pen handle the office of Chief Minister?...”
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: Bihar minister welcomes ECI's nationwide SIR initiative
On the Election Commission's announcement for the schedule of the SIR, Bihar Minister Santosh Kumar Suman says, "... It started as a model in Bihar, and it was successful. A 17-day campaign was run by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav... The names of genuine voters were not removed... Only the names that were duplicates, had died, or had shifted out were removed.... I wholeheartedly welcome and support the Election Commission."
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Mungeri lal ke haseen sapne' - BJP leader on Tejashwi's remark on Waqf Act
Bihar BJP Co-in-Charge and MP Deepak Prakash said that RJD and Congress have lost the elections even before the elections have begun.
Referring to Tejashwi Yadav's 'Waqf Bill' remark, he said, "...Mungeri Lal ke haseen sapne dekh rahe hai Tejashwi Yadav ji. He is not going to form the government here in Bihar..."
On Congress's "Jan-Nayak" tweet featuring Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok said that both of them (Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav) are neither 'layak' nor 'jan-nayak', "they are just 'naa-layak'... Rahul Gandhi is the 'jan-nayak' of naxals, anti-Indians, Pakistanis..."
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Driver of Mahagathbandhan Anar' - BJP leader says the bloc is 'destined to crash'
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "Driver of Mahagathbandhan vehicle 'Anari', passengers 'khiladi,' it's destined for a crash."
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'ECI has authority to conduct SIR' - says JD(U) leader
On the SIR issue, JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar said, "...It is necessary to update the voters who have duplicate entries or are deceased. In this regard, the Congress party made political objections to the SIR. But the judiciary did not accept it. So the Election Commission is a constitutional body, and it has the authority to conduct the SIR."
Bihar elections 2025 live updates: 'Mahagathbandhan is in third position', Prashant Kishor says real fight between NDA and Jan Suraaj
While campaigning in Purnea, Bihar, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor said, "We are visiting every assembly constituency. Mahagathbandhan is in the third position. The fight is between NDA and Jan Suraaj. The announcements made by Tejashwi Yadav in the last 5 days have no sense at all. They are saying all this to become relevant and come to the race. Nobody is paying attention..."