NEW DELHI: And the winner is … Well, if it’s Bihar, who else but Nitish Kumar. The JD(U) chief, who was contesting the 2025 assembly elections with his back to the wall, has fought against all odds to prove yet again that he is the undisputed leader of Bihar. Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which had managed only 43 assembly seats five years back, has made massive gains nearly doubling his tally. The JD(U) this time around has won 85 seats to emerge as the second largest party in the state.A poster featuring Nitish standing besides a tiger, captioned boldly ‘tiger abhi zinda hai’ (tiger is alive), sums up the amazing turnaround achieved by the septuagenarian leader – who was left to fend for himself amid unrelenting onslaught by the opposition.Election Results 2025Bihar election results: Bihar votes for ‘sushasan’; NDA cruising towards clean sweepBihar election results: Top winners and losersWomen, welfare and the ‘phoenix’ CM: How Nitish-led NDA crushed MGB in Bihar electionsIn the run up to assembly elections, questions were raised on his mental health, his ability to govern and also about his loosening hold over the JD(U). While RJD’s Tejashwi claimed that the JD(U) was being run by the BJP, Jan Suraj chief Prashant Kishor repeatedly asserted that Nitish Kumar’s party would not get more than 25 seats in the assembly elections.To make matters worse, ally BJP, which had projected Nitish as NDA’s chief ministerial candidate in earlier assembly elections, this time around announced that the leader of NDA will be decided by the legislators after the results are out. When it came to seat sharing, Nitish had to counter the influence of his bete noire Chirag Paswan, who had raised the pitch against his government by openly criticising the law and order situation in the state. After 20 years of rule, anti-incumbency was one of the biggest hurdles in the path of Nitish Kumar.However, undeterred by all these pressures, Nitish hit the ground running and kept focus on his development agenda. He aggressively groomed his core base of women voters – whose silent and invisible support most likely played a key role in JD(U)’s victory. Nitish announced several schemes, enhanced cash components of several existing programmes. The Centre’s move to give Rs 10,000 to 72 lakh women also helped Nitish reinforce appeal among his core support base.Ironically, despite his spectacular come-back, Nitish may not be the natural choice to become the next chief minister of the state – much to the disappointment of the JD(U). With the BJP outperforming JD(U) by increasing its tally to 92 and the smaller allies together winning 27 seats, the NDA will be within striking distance of the majority mark of 122 even without Nitish Kumar in its fold. It’s a different matter though that JD(U)’s support is crucial for the BJP at the Centre and hence, any final decision on the top post will involve a lot of hard bargaining from both sides.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKerala Teenager Dies in Dubai After Rooftop Fall While Trying To Take Photos of Low-Flying PlanesPakistan’s Costly Lobbying Blitz Won Access To Trump As India Faced The Harshest Tariffs, Claims NYTChilling Terror Attack Masterplan: How Medical Professionals Built A 5-Step Nationwide Bombing PlotBihar Assembly Poll Results: NDA Touches 200-Seat Lead, Congress Intensifies SIR, Vote Chori AttacksFirst-Time Woman Voter in Danapur Explains Why Nitish Kumar Scored Massive Landslide Win in BiharIndia Negotiating Multiple FTAs To Boost Free Flow Of Capital And Trade: Piyush Goyal‘Not Just Congress’: Tharoor Calls Out RJD Amid NDA’s Big Bihar Lead‘Pak Ready For Two-Front War’: Khawaja Asif’s Hollow Threat To India After Islamabad BlastCDS Anil Chauhan Issues Red Line To Defence Industry, Warns Against Delays And OverpromisingWashington Reports Encouraging Momentum As India-US Trade Talks Advance Toward A Year-End Agreement123PhotostoriesHow to grow strawberries in pots in balcony garden during winters11 vegetarian dishes of Bihar you can’t missWorld Diabetes Day 2025: Managing dessert cravings at 70 and beyondNew voices redefining the spirit of Bollywood cinemaWhich Plant You Should Bring Home As Per Your Date of BirthMetabolic doctor reveals top 10 foods to reduce triglycerides naturally7 most colourful frog species in the worldAfter Bihar poll debacle, what’s next for Tejashwi Yadav and a shaken RJD?Diabetes: Lesser-known symptoms women should be careful aboutJubilee Hills bypoll twist: Congress triumphs, Revanth Reddy emerges as Telangana’s tallest leader123Hot PicksAlinagar Election ResultRaghopur Election ResultBihar Election Result 2025Gold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingBihar Election CandidatesAlinagar Election ResultKargahar Election ResultPrashant KishorChirag PaswanAssembly Election BiharRaghopur Election ResultMahua Election ResultPune Bridge AccidentAnta Election Result
NEW DELHI: And the winner is … Well, if it’s Bihar, who else but Nitish Kumar. The JD(U) chief, who was contesting the 2025 assembly elections with his back to the wall, has fought against all odds to prove yet again that he is the undisputed leader of Bihar. Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which had managed only 43 assembly seats five years back, has made massive gains nearly doubling his tally. The JD(U) this time around has won 85 seats to emerge as the second largest party in the state.A poster featuring Nitish standing besides a tiger, captioned boldly ‘tiger abhi zinda hai’ (tiger is alive), sums up the amazing turnaround achieved by the septuagenarian leader – who was left to fend for himself amid unrelenting onslaught by the opposition.In the run up to assembly elections, questions were raised on his mental health, his ability to govern and also about his loosening hold over the JD(U). While RJD’s Tejashwi claimed that the JD(U) was being run by the BJP, Jan Suraj chief Prashant Kishor repeatedly asserted that Nitish Kumar’s party would not get more than 25 seats in the assembly elections.To make matters worse, ally BJP, which had projected Nitish as NDA’s chief ministerial candidate in earlier assembly elections, this time around announced that the leader of NDA will be decided by the legislators after the results are out. When it came to seat sharing, Nitish had to counter the influence of his bete noire Chirag Paswan, who had raised the pitch against his government by openly criticising the law and order situation in the state. After 20 years of rule, anti-incumbency was one of the biggest hurdles in the path of Nitish Kumar.However, undeterred by all these pressures, Nitish hit the ground running and kept focus on his development agenda. He aggressively groomed his core base of women voters – whose silent and invisible support most likely played a key role in JD(U)’s victory. Nitish announced several schemes, enhanced cash components of several existing programmes. The Centre’s move to give Rs 10,000 to 72 lakh women also helped Nitish reinforce appeal among his core support base.Ironically, despite his spectacular come-back, Nitish may not be the natural choice to become the next chief minister of the state – much to the disappointment of the JD(U). With the BJP outperforming JD(U) by increasing its tally to 92 and the smaller allies together winning 27 seats, the NDA will be within striking distance of the majority mark of 122 even without Nitish Kumar in its fold. It’s a different matter though that JD(U)’s support is crucial for the BJP at the Centre and hence, any final decision on the top post will involve a lot of hard bargaining from both sides.
