JD(U) National Council meet on June 21, Nitish’s consultations with top leaders spark buzz
Ahead of the meeting, former chief minister Nitish Kumar has been holding a series of one-on-one meetings with his close associates and senior JD(U) leaders.
As political tension rises in Bihar ahead of the November 14 vote counting, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Priyanka Bharti cuts through the noise with calm conviction. In an exclusive conversation with The Statesman, she insists that the INDIA bloc will form the next government, despite exit polls giving a clear edge to the ruling NDA. Her confidence, she says, comes not from wishful thinking but from the ground reality, a reality she believes the surveys fail to capture.
“People in Bihar have voted for change,” she says. “We don’t live in any illusion or delusion. We know what the people want.”
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Exit polls and reality
Earlier on Wednesday, RJD’s chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav addressed a press conference rejecting the exit poll predictions that favour the NDA. He pointed out that 72 lakh more voters turned out this time compared to 2020, and in nearly every constituency, the number of voters increased by over 30,000.
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“These votes,” Tejashwi said, “were not cast to save Nitish Kumar’s government. They were cast to change it.”
Also Read: Bihar Election 2025: Historic turnout by women voters, yet power halls stay male
Backing her leader, Priyanka Bharti says she has little faith in these surveys. “We neither fund these surveyors nor believe in them,” she remarks, her tone sharp. “Most of them have been wrong; be it in Haryana, Jharkhand, Kolkata, or even during the Lok Sabha elections. These agencies create a kind of psychological trap, funded by people close to BJP and RSS. But the ground reports tell a very different story.”
She adds that her party’s internal assessments suggest a “strong wave” for the Mahagathbandhan, the opposition alliance led by RJD, Congress, and Left parties. “We’ve seen enthusiasm everywhere, especially among youth and women. These are not votes of sympathy; these are votes for jobs, justice, and dignity.”
Youth and women: The backbone of RJD’s hopes
Priyanka highlights a unique factor this time: the return of migrant workers for Chhath Puja, one of Bihar’s most important festivals. “Lakhs of people who had migrated for work stayed back for the elections. These are young men who know what unemployment feels like. And their families, especially the women, are thinking about their future.”
She points out how women’s votes, often claimed by NDA as its stronghold, may surprise everyone this time. “They say women are their core base, but last time that claim didn’t hold true. When I asked women about the ₹10,000 cash scheme, they laughed and said, ‘Kya hum 10,000 mein bik jaayenge?’ Some didn’t even get the money. Some were confused if they had to return it. It’s a mess,” Priyanka explains.
66.91% voter turnout overall; Highest since the 1st Bihar elections in 1951: ECI#BiharElection2025 #VoterTrunout #ECI #BiharPolls pic.x.com/WtPDHOvlvp
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) November 11, 2025
She believes economic insecurity and migration have deeply affected women voters. “Women are running the homes while men leave for work. There is practically no liquor ban in Bihar; only harassment and arrests of the poor. These women are angry, tired, and hopeful that Tejashwi Yadav will bring jobs to keep their families together.”
Priyanka also praises Tejashwi’s promise to regularise Jeevika workers (community mobilizers) as government employees. “These women are the state’s strength. They are not just voters; they are changemakers. They see hope in our policies, not slogans.”
A battle beyond exit polls
For Priyanka, Bihar’s elections are not just about numbers or surveys. They are about people reclaiming their voice. “Whenever voter turnout has increased in Bihar, RJD has formed the government. That’s history,” she recalls.
She argues that despite flashy campaign visuals, BJP and JD(U) have failed to connect with the real issues. “Their campaign was full of catchphrases like ‘Jungle Raj’, ‘Ghuspethiye’. But where is the guarantee for jobs? For farmers? For the poor?”
“They still don’t have a leader”
Asked whether RJD fears the NDA’s organizational strength or better communication machinery, Priyanka laughs softly. “Yes, they have money, they have media, and they have machinery. But voters vote for hope. Until the end, they couldn’t even decide who their CM face is. How can people trust such a coalition?”
According to her, RJD’s campaign spearheaded by Tejashwi Yadav has been “more connected to emotions, to the soil, to the pain of the people.”
“Emotional appeal is not a weakness”
Critics often say that RJD relies too much on emotion and nostalgia. Priyanka disagrees. “What’s wrong with emotional appeal?” she asks. “Employment, migration, education. These are emotional issues. They affect marriages, families, futures. You cannot separate emotion from governance.”
She points to RJD’s Mai Bahin Maan Yojana, which drew applications from thousands of women across castes and communities. “If our politics was only emotional drama, why would women from every background fill out forms for this scheme? They trust us because they’ve seen results. During our previous tenure, we provided five lakh government jobs. People remember that.”
She also challenges the label of ‘Jungle Raj’ used by the NDA. “They call us that, but ask the Dalits, the backward classes, and the marginalized communities what Laluji’s era meant to them. It was the beginning of their political and social voice. That was the silent revolution of Bihar.”
“Nitish Kumar is a gone case”
Priyanka doesn’t mince words when talking about Bihar’s long-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. “He is a gone case,” she says. “People no longer take him seriously. He has changed sides so many times that even his voters are confused.”
She accuses the NDA of misusing power and manipulating elections. “Last time, we lost because of vote chori. Plain and simple. But this time, the gap is too big to cover with tricks. Bihar’s youth won’t let that happen again.”
Ground campaign
Bihar’s 2025 Assembly elections were conducted in two phases: November 6 and November 11 across 243 constituencies. The results will be declared on November 14.
The ruling NDA comprising BJP, JD(U), LJP(RV), RLM, and HAM(S) campaigned on development and welfare. Their narrative was built around Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, caste-based outreach and schemes targeting women and farmers. They also repeatedly attacked RJD for corruption and poor governance in the past.
On the other hand, the Mahagathbandhan led by RJD built its campaign on jobs, youth empowerment, and anti-incumbency. The Congress, as RJD’s partner, emphasised unemployment and migration.
Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party tried to offer a fresh alternative. Kishor’s Bihar Badlav Yatra, covering over 5,000 km and 5,500 villages, resonated with many looking for clean politics.
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