Patna: Nitish Kumar–led NDA is heading for a sweeping return to power in Bihar, with leads on over 200 seats—far above the majority mark. The alliance, consisting of the BJP, JDU, LJP, RLM and HAM, surged ahead even as the Mahagathbandhan collapsed. The RJD’s tally dipped sharply, and the Congress suffered an even steeper decline. Voters appear to have rewarded stability, continuity and two decades of Nitish’s governance.

Rs 10,000 Transfer That Tilted the Scale

A centrepiece of the NDA’s campaign was the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, a Rs 7,500-crore DBT initiative offering Rs 10,000 each to 1.2 crore women to promote self-employment. This financial boost built on Nitish’s long track record of empowering women—from 50 percent panchayat reservation in 2006 to 35 percent quota in

See Full Page