Minutes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the Bihar assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the NDA government had given the state a “new direction through good governance”, pulling it out of what he described as the era of “Jungle Raj.”
Currently, in the 243-member Bihar Vidhan Sabha, the JDU–BJP alliance (NDA) holds 131 seats, while the RJD–Congress coalition (INDIA bloc or Mahagathbandhan) has 111 seats.
In a post on X, Shah wrote, “The Election Commission has announced the dates for the Bihar Assembly elections. Congratulations to all the people of Bihar on this great festival of democracy. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the NDA government has given a new direction to development and good governance by taking Bihar out of jungle raj. Today, Bihar is witnessing historic changes in every field of infrastructure, health and education along with the welfare of the poor. I am confident that the people of Bihar will choose the politics of development this time too.”
As per the schedule announced by the ECI, the polls will be held in two phases with the first phase scheduled for November 6 and the second phase for November 11.
The constituencies that fall under first phase include Alamnagar, Bihariganj, Singheshwar (SC), Madhepura, Sonbarsha (SC), Saharsa, Simri Bakhtiarpur, Mahishi, Kusheshwar Asthan (SC), Gaura Bauram, Benipur, Alinagar, Darbhanga Rural, Darbhanga, Hayaghat, Bahadurpur, Keoti, Jale, Gaighat, Aurai, Minapur, Bochahan (SC), Sakra (SC), Kurhani, Muzaffarpur, Kanti, Baruraj, Paroo, Sahebganj, Baikunthpur, Barauli, Gopalganj, Kuchaikote, Bhore (SC), Hathua, Siwan, Ziradei, Darauli (SC), Raghunathpur, Daraunda, Barharia, Goriakothi, Maharajganj, Ekma, Manjhi, Baniapur, Taraiya, Marhaura, Chapra, Garkha (SC), Amnour, Parsa, Sonepur, Hajipur, Lalganj, Vaishali, Mahua, Raja Pakar (SC), Raghopur, Mahnar, Patepur (SC), Kalyanpur (SC), Warisnagar, Samastipur, Ujiarpur, Morwa, Sarairanjan, Mohiuddinnagar, Bibhutipur, Rosera (SC), Hasanpur, Cheria-Bariarpur, Bachhwara, Teghra, Matihani, Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai, Bakhri (SC), Alauli (SC), Khagaria, Beldaur, Parbatta, Tarapur, Munger, Jamalpur, Suryagarha, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Barbigha, Asthawan, Biharsharif, Rajgir (SC), Islampur, Hilsa, Nalanda, Harnaut, Mokama, Barh, Bakhtiarpur, Digha, Bankipur, Kumhrar, Patna Sahib, Fatuha, Danapur, Maner, Phulwari (SC), Masaurhi (SC), Paliganj, Bikram, Sandesh, Barhara, Arrah, Agiaon (SC), Tarari, Jagdishpur, Shahpur, Brahampur, Buxar, Dumraon, and Rajpur (SC).
The 122 constituencies that are part of the second phase include Valmiki Nagar, Ramnagar (SC), Narkatiaganj, Bagaha, Lauriya, Nautan, Chanpatia, Bettiah, Sikta, Raxaul, Sugauli, Narkatia, Harsidhi (SC), Govindganj, Kesaria, Kalyanpur, Pipra, Madhuban, Motihari, Chiraia, Dhaka, Sheohar, Riga, Bathnaha (SC), Parihar, Sursand, Bajpatti, Sitamarhi, Runnisaidpur, Belsand, Harlakhi, Benipatti, Khajauli, Babubarhi, Bisfi, Madhubani, Rajnagar (SC), Jhanjharpur, Phulparas, Laukaha, Nirmali, Pipra, Supaul, Triveniganj (SC), Chhatapur, Narpatganj, Raniganj (SC), Forbesganj, Araria, Jokihat, Sikti, Bahadurganj, Thakurganj, Kishanganj, Kochadhaman, Amour, Baisi, Kasba, Banmankhi (SC), Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia, Katihar, Kadwa, Balrampur, Pranpur, Manihari (ST), Barari, Korha (SC), Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti (SC), Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur, Sultanganj, Nathnagar, Amarpur, Dhoraiya (SC), Banka, Katoria (ST), Belhar, Ramgarh, Mohania (SC), Bhabua, Chainpur, Chenari (SC), Sasaram, Kargahar, Dinara, Nokha, Dehri, Karakat, Arwal, Kurtha, Jehanabad, Ghosi, Makhdumpur (SC), Goh, Obra, Nabinagar, Kutumba (SC), Aurangabad, Rafiganj, Gurua, Sherghati, Imamganj (SC), Barachatti (SC), Bodh Gaya (SC), Gaya Town, Tikari, Belaganj, Atri, Wazirganj, Rajauli (SC), Hisua, Nawada, Gobindpur, Warsaliganj, Sikandra (SC), Jamui, Jhajha, Chakai.