In Bihar, the political landscape is shifting rapidly after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a decisive win in the 2025 assembly elections. The results declared on November 14 confirmed a significant mandate for the NDA. With that, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the largest party in the state assembly for the first time.
Now with this outcome, attention has turned to the formation of the new government and the swearing-in of elected representatives in Bihar.
The incumbent Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, is likely to take oath for a record tenth term. His party, Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], won 85 seats, four fewer than its ally BJP which has established itself as the largest party in the state for the first time. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), led by Tejashwi Yadav, finished third marking a notable decline for the party. The Congress experienced another poor electoral performance.
According to reports, the official notification for the formation of the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly is likely to be issued soon. Following this, the Election Commission will formally inform the state Governor about the election results. Once the notification is issued, the Nitish Kumar cabinet is going to meet to decide on the formal dissolution of the assembly.
Also Read: Bihar Assembly Election Results 2025: Complete list of winners
Preparations are also underway for the swearing-in ceremony of the new government which is likely to take place at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. While the exact date is contingent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schedule, reports suggest the ceremony could happen on either November 19 or 20. Senior political leaders including Chief Ministers from other BJP-ruled states might attend.
The recent elections also highlighted the evolving dynamics of Bihar politics. The JD(U) despite being outperformed by its ally has shown one of its strongest performances since 2010. Meanwhile the RJD, traditionally quite a dominant force in Bihar politics, now faces the challenge of rebuilding its presence following a massive decline in both vote share and seat count.
Also Read: Bihar Election 2025: Historic turnout by women voters, yet power halls stay male
The elections were also notable for the performance of smaller regional parties. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has surprised observers by winning 19 of the 29 seats it contested. Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who leads the party, indicated a willingness to support the new government.
Speaking at a press conference in Patna, he said that while his party had previously extended support without holding a formal position in the government, it now hoped to play a more active role in governance.
“Representatives of my party met Nitish Kumar to congratulate him upon the victory. We too are looking forward to joining the government,” he said. He added that decisions on leadership positions including Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister, would rest with elected legislators, though he personally supported Nitish Kumar continuing as CM.
Another voice reinforcing the NDA’s position was Union Minister and HAM(S) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi. Speaking to the media, he described the election results as a “thumping mandate” for the NDA confirming that Nitish Kumar was returning as Chief Minister.
Manjhi noted that trends during vote counting indicated a clear advantage for the NDA predicting that the coalition would secure well over 160 seats while the opposition alliance would remain below 80 seats.
Observers are watching closely as the NDA begins the process of forming the government with expectations that they will prioritise governance over rhetoric.