{"id":357449,"date":"2025-11-07T19:37:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/?p=357449"},"modified":"2025-11-08T14:27:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T08:57:52","slug":"faces-alliances-and-ambitions-define-battleground-in-bihar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/faces-alliances-and-ambitions-define-battleground-in-bihar\/","title":{"rendered":"Faces, alliances and ambitions define battleground in Bihar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In the current political era, Bihar once again stands as India\u2019s political laboratory. Throughout history, politics in the state has never been merely about arithmetic \u2014 it has always been about social equations, class consciousness, and the symbolism of leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 Assembly Election marks a new chapter in that tradition. The difference this time is that, alongside issues, the mathematics of faces and the chemistry of alliances have become the central themes of discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) are deep in preparation. But while the Mahagathbandhan has already declared its chief ministerial face \u2014 setting the stage early \u2014 the NDA remains silent on its own \u201cCM face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this silence is getting louder by the day in Bihar\u2019s politics. The biggest question echoing through political circles is: Who will lead the NDA into battle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The indecision between the BJP and the JD(U) is nothing new. Nitish Kumar\u2019s administrative credibility is undisputed, but within the BJP, a new generation has emerged \u2014 one eager to see \u201cits own Chief Minister.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balancing Chirag Paswan\u2019s youthful ambition, Jitan Ram Manjhi\u2019s experience, and the social reach of allies is no easy task. Analysts believe that the NDA\u2019s decision to delay announcing its face is not mere hesitation \u2014 it\u2019s a calculated suspense. Sometimes, silence in politics is itself a strategy \u2014 one that keeps the opposition unsettled and the public intrigued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who will truly claim the throne of Bihar? If the results favour the NDA, the JD(U) will argue, \u201cNitish is the natural face.\u201d But if the BJP wins a larger share of seats, the equation could flip \u2014 paving the way for a new face, a new generation, and a new story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time, the balance of power within the NDA is unlikely to mirror 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fog over the chief ministerial face may clear only after November 14, if the results favour the NDA. Meanwhile, the opposition is using this uncertainty as its strongest weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tejashwi Yadav has put it bluntly: \u201cThe people want clarity on leadership issues, not confusion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bihar\u2019s youth \u2014 the most decisive voters \u2014 are no longer swayed by slogans; they want results. Migration, the quality of education, and employment remain at the heart of every debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government has showcased investment plans and infrastructure projects, yet the impact on the ground remains limited. Youth discontent and rural frustration have become strong undercurrents that could shake any grand alliance. Within the NDA, the seat-sharing formula stands as follows: BJP and JD(U) \u2014 101 seats each; LJP (Ram Vilas) \u2014 29 seats; Jitan Ram Manjhi \u2014 6 seats; Upendra Kushwaha \u2014 6 seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The arithmetic may look smooth, but the equation remains fragile. Kushwaha, Paswan, and Manjhi are not just political figures \u2014 they are pillars of social identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If harmony prevails, victory may come easily to the NDA. But a single crack could rock the boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, the Mahagathbandhan, once seen as fragmented, now appears more focused. Tejashwi Yadav has positioned himself as the face of change \u2014 young, sharp, and outspoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Congress and Left parties are no longer in the shadows; they are active partners. Their campaign message \u2014 \u201cA Bihar of Dignity and Jobs\u201d \u2014 resonates strongly with the youth, who are expected to be the deciding factor in this election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caste still runs deep in Bihar\u2019s politics, yet this time a new social balance seems to be forming. The RJD\u2019s Yadav\u2013Muslim base remains strong, but the NDA appears to be gaining traction among upper castes, Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), and women voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a growing section of the youth is thinking beyond caste. As one student put it: \u201cWe\u2019ll vote for jobs, not caste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NDA has experience and organisation. The Mahagathbandhan has energy and passion. But the people hold the ultimate power \u2014 the power to decide who will become the next face of Bihar, and who will symbolise the change they call \u201cNaya Bihar.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the current political era, Bihar once again stands as India\u2019s political laboratory. Throughout history, politics in the state has never been merely about arithmetic \u2014 it has always been about social equations, class consciousness, and the symbolism of leadership. The 2025 Assembly Election marks a new chapter in that tradition. The difference this time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":357450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[13708],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357449"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=357449"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":357468,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357449\/revisions\/357468"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/357450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=357449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=357449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}