In Bihar’s two-phased Assembly elections, 121 constituencies are set to go to the polls on Thursday in the first phase of voting.

The contest will see not only the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA take on its primary rival in the Tejashwi Yadav-led Mahagathbandhan, but also the Assembly election debut of strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj.

In the 121 seats of the first phase that are concentrated in central Bihar, NDA in the 2020 Assembly polls bagged 59 seats, trailing the Mahagathbandhan at 61.

In 2020, the BJP had contested 49 of the 121 seats that will vote on November 6, and won 32. Its ally, the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), contested 65 of these seats and won 23. Mahagathbandhan leader RJD contested 71 of these 121 seats, and won 42, while ally Congress contested 31 and won only eight.

In these 121 seats, the NDA had collectively secured a 37.69% vote share in 2020, just behind the Mahagathbandhan at 38.06%.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the NDA had led in 95 Assembly segments among the first-phase seats, with the Mahagathbandhan ahead in 25 segments, and an Independent in one segment.

Since the 2020 Assembly polls, the composition of the alliances in Bihar has changed. While the Chirag Paswan-led LJP(RV) and the Upendra Kushwaha-led RLM are now in the NDA, the Mukesh Sahani-led VIP has joined forces with the Opposition.

In Bihar’s two-phased Assembly elections, 121 constituencies are set to go to the polls on Thursday in the first phase of voting.

The contest will see not only the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA take on its primary rival in the Tejashwi Yadav-led Mahagathbandhan, but also the Assembly election debut of strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj.

In the 121 seats of the first phase that are concentrated in central Bihar, NDA in the 2020 Assembly polls bagged 59 seats, trailing the Mahagathbandhan at 61.

In 2020, the BJP had contested 49 of the 121 seats that will vote on November 6, and won 32. Its ally, the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), contested 65 of these seats and won 23. Mahagathbandhan leader RJD contested 71 of these 121 seats, and won 42, while ally Congress contested 31 and won only eight.

In these 121 seats, the NDA had collectively secured a 37.69% vote share in 2020, just behind the Mahagathbandhan at 38.06%.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the NDA had led in 95 Assembly segments among the first-phase seats, with the Mahagathbandhan ahead in 25 segments, and an Independent in one segment.

Since the 2020 Assembly polls, the composition of the alliances in Bihar has changed. While the Chirag Paswan-led LJP(RV) and the Upendra Kushwaha-led RLM are now in the NDA, the Mukesh Sahani-led VIP has joined forces with the Opposition.