With top leaders hitting the campaign trail and invoking both development and symbolism, the ruling alliance signals that it enters the Bihar battle with confidence and cohesion.
Our Bureau
Patna (Bihar)
As Bihar moves into election mode, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has rolled out an assertive campaign strategy anchored in unity, continuity, and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. From Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Saran to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ outreach in Begusarai, and statements from other senior BJP and JD(U) leaders, the message is clear: the NDA believes it has the wind in its sails ahead of the November polls.
Polling for the Bihar Assembly elections will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results on November 14. The NDA has already finalised its seat-sharing formula — BJP and JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, while allies like Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will fight on 29 seats, and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) have been allotted six each.
‘Four Diwalis for Bihar’
Addressing a large rally in Saran’s Taraiya, Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally launched the BJP’s campaign, striking both emotional and political notes. By invoking the end of “Lalu-Rabri’s jungle raj” and crediting Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi for transforming Bihar, Shah sought to remind voters of the coalition’s development narrative while rallying the youth around law and order and governance.
“When you start campaigning from Saran, we only see victory. There is no better place than Chhapra to remind the youth about the jungle raj of Lalu and Rabri and take a pledge to fight against it,” Shah said.
“Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from jungle raj. PM Modi, over the last 11 years, has worked to develop Bihar. His years have been a blessing to the poor.”
Shah also used festive symbolism to energise the electorate, claiming that Bihar will celebrate “four Diwalis” — one marking Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya, another for Nitish and Modi’s welfare schemes, a third for the GST reduction on 395 products, and a fourth when the NDA wins “with the biggest majority, sweeping away Lalu, Rahul and company.”
By blending Hindutva symbolism with welfare economics, Shah underscored the BJP’s dual campaign plank — cultural consolidation and developmental delivery — both of which have been central to its electoral strategy nationwide.
NDA projects confidence and unity
The NDA campaign is being carefully orchestrated to display unity within its diverse alliance. Shah reiterated that the alliance is contesting under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, an assertion aimed at quelling speculation about tensions between BJP and JD(U) after past breakups.
“We are fighting under the leadership of Nitish Kumar in Bihar,” Shah declared, signalling a calibrated effort to consolidate the NDA’s support base across caste and regional lines.
Reinforcing this message, JD(U) national president and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) reiterated that the opposition’s narrative about division within the NDA was misplaced.
“There is no Mahagathbandhan but only ‘Thugbandhan’ — a gang of cheats,” he said, accusing the Opposition of trying to malign the NDA’s image. “Amit Shah has said clearly we are contesting under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. The voters know the truth.”
The NDA’s messaging machinery has also sought to emphasise the stability of the Modi–Nitish partnership, contrasting it with what it portrays as the opportunistic and fractious alliances of the Mahagathbandhan.
The confident tone wasn’t limited to the BJP’s central leadership. Senior leaders from other states have joined the Bihar campaign, amplifying the narrative of momentum. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, campaigning in Begusarai, told ANI that the mood across the state was clearly pro-NDA.
The cross-state participation of senior leaders like Shah, Fadnavis, and Maurya highlights the BJP’s organisational depth and confidence in using its national machinery to boost local campaigns. It also reflects the party’s belief that Modi’s popularity remains the decisive factor in Bihar’s political landscape.
A confident, coordinated campaign
Analysts note that the NDA’s early and synchronised campaign rollout, combined with clear messaging around Nitish’s leadership and Modi’s development record, suggests a coalition working from a position of confidence rather than defensiveness. The BJP’s strategy appears to be to frame the election as a contest between stability and chaos, invoking the “jungle raj” metaphor to remind voters of the 1990s while showcasing welfare and infrastructure achievements.
With the Mahagathbandhan still struggling to project a united face, the NDA’s optics of coordination — visible in its joint rallies, coherent communication, and balanced seat distribution — have given it a head start. By setting the tone early, the alliance aims to dominate the narrative over the next few weeks and convert its messaging advantage into electoral momentum.
As Amit Shah said in Saran, “When you start from here, we only see victory.”
That sentiment — echoed by leaders across the NDA — captures the coalition’s mood: confident, cohesive, and ready to claim Bihar once more.
