Political Heavyweights Hit the Road as Bihar Phase 1 Concludes

As evening fell on Tuesday, the last official whistles of campaigning sounded across the 121 seats in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections. More than 3.75 crore voters are expected to decide the fate of 1,314 candidates at 45,341 polling stations. 

Full blown rallies and street showdowns defined the mood: long convoys, roadshows, flashing lights, and the drone of media crews. The ruling National Democratic Alliance and the opposition INDIA Alliance left nothing to chance in their final pitch to voters. 

The leadership stamp was visible everywhere: senior ministers and party presidents addressed large crowds, underscoring how high the stakes are. At the same time, social-media war-rooms buzzed late into the night memes, reels in Bhojpuri, data-driven targeting, and last moment appeals to first-time voters. 

Beyond the spectacle, several local flash-points added tension: issues such as the killing of a worker, allegations of “jungle raj”, arrests of candidates and the election of the festival of Chhath Puja into campaign rhetoric were all part of the mix. 

For voters, the campaign’s end signals the shift from persuasion to decision. Booth-level officials and polling staff are gearing up for the day of voting. Political analysts say the verdict from this phase covering almost half the state’s constituencies will set the tone for the second phase. In no uncertain terms, every party knows what’s on the line: the NDA, confident of securing over 160 seats, is aiming to repeat or better its performance. 

Now the eyes turn to polling day, with the big question being: after all the rallies and digital blitz, will the voters respond the way the parties hope?