The Bihar Assembly Election of 2025 has delivered one of the most interesting political stories the state has seen in years. The overall voter turnout was the highest since Independence, women voters showed historic trend, and several ground-level factors shaped the final mood of the electorate. Here’s a simple, clear look at the five big factors that are helping NDA gain a strong advantage.
Bihar elections 2025: Highest Women voters turnout
Bihar saw a record 67.13% overall turnout this year, but the women’s turnout alone was at 71.78%, far higher than the 62.98% turnout among men.
In many districts, women voted 10–20 percentage points more than men. In Supaul, the gap was the biggest, a massive 20.71 points. Similar differences were reported in Kishanganj, Madhubani, Gopalganj, Araria, Darbhanga and Madhepura. Women have been voting in larger numbers for almost 15 years now, but 2025 became the year their record participation left everyone stunned.
The ₹10,000 scheme for women became a big draw
It won’t be wrong to say that a strong push came from the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, which promised ₹10,000 for eligible women. This scheme is particularly important because the 2022 caste survey showed that over 34% of Bihar’s households survive on ₹6,000 a month or less. In poorer communities, especially Scheduled Castes and EBC households, a one-time amount of ₹10,000 is more than a month’s income.
So instead of being seen as a routine poll promise, this scheme felt like real help. It clearly connected with households struggling with day-to-day expenses, and many women voters saw it as something that could immediately change their situation and make them independent.
The alcohol ban still works in favour of NDA
The alcohol ban, first introduced years ago, continues to influence voting behaviour, especially among women. Many women believe the ban has reduced domestic violence. It helped save money at home and improved lifestyle. While illegal liquor is still a challenge, the idea of the ban still works strongly in the NDA’s favour. For a large number of women voters, it remains one of the biggest reasons to support the ruling alliance.
The voter list controversy triggered higher turnout
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls played a surprisingly big role this year. After this revision, the gender ratio of the voter list dropped from 907 women per 1,000 men (LS 2024) to 892. This suggested that over 5.7 lakh women’s names were deleted. Many young women aged 18–29 were stamped as “permanently shifted.”
The opposition called it “vote chori” and claimed women were being unfairly removed. Instead of discouraging voters, this instead energised them. Many women reportedly double-checked their names, helped others do the same, and made sure they cast their vote.
1.80 lakh Jeevika Didis mobilised voters
More than 14 lakh young voters, aged 18–19, were added to the rolls. Many of them had no earlier political baggage and were voting for the first time. The Election Commission deployed thousands of Jeevika Didis, a massive women’s network. Their job was to guide people with information, booths, and forms. The impact was huge, especially for women and first-time voters.