Bihar assembly election 2025: Will unemployment and women be silent deciders?

Bihar goes to the first phase of its 2025 assembly poll on Thursday (Nov 6). The second phase is scheduled for November 11, and the result will be announced on November 14. The major political alliances are NDA (JD(U) + BJP + Others) and Mahagathbandhan/INDIA Alliance (RJD + Congress + Others).

With caste, development, and education, and basic facilities being at the core - two factors will heavily decide who comes to power next in India's one of the most politically important states: Unemployment and women voters.

Unemployment has long been in the manifestos of every political party running to get power in Bihar. Every year, a great chunk of Bihar residents migrate and settle in bigger cities or states to get better employment opportunities. Hence, creating employment sources within the state has become a need of the hour. Tejashwi Yadav's RJD has made quite a bold promise in this area. The son of former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav has promised he would provide 10 lakh government jobs to Biharis. As bold as it sounds, the promise is nearly impossible to fulfil.

But promises are made, and it would be interesting to see if Bihar's youth get fascinated by the idea or dodge the chance to choose Tejashwi Yadav as their CM.

Another essential factor is the section of women voters. This area has been a stronghold of the current Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Women are often considered "silent voters", as per the Election Commission of India. Ultimately, what makes the difference in the results is the candidate women vote for the most. And Kumar has been quite popular among women voters.

This time also, the JD(U) chief's manifesto, proposed by the NDA, primarily focuses on women's welfare schemes.

Last time, since the population of women is much higher than men in Bihar, Nitish appeased women voters by imposing a ban on liquor. The ban made the daily life of women, who used to go through miserable conditions due to addicted husbands, much easier.

List of poll promises by the three major parties

Nitish Kumar: Welfare expansion

Nitish Kumar, the veteran leader, is heavily banking on his welfare politics this time, which he has tried and tested multiple times before as well. Kumar has assured that he would improve the protection for marginalised communities, women, and jobless youth.

In July this year, Kumar increased the pensions of widows, the elderly, and the disabled to ₹1,100 a month. Kumar has promised to give women entrepreneurs an initial amount of ₹10,000 and later ₹2 lakh in the second phase. This will be done under Mukhayamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojna.

Tejashwi Yadava: Employment

RJD's Tejashwi Yadav has promised employment to the voters. He has announced that his government would enact a "Special Employmenet Act" just in 20 days after taking office. Under this, one government job will be given to each family in Bihar within 20 months.

Prashant Kishor: No alcohol ban

Prashant Kishor made a huge poll promise to revoke the alcohol ban in the dry state. Kishor's party announced that if it comes to power, it will lift the ban, which, Kishor claimed, could unlock substantial financial resources for the state. The party claimed that due to the liquor ban in Bihar, the state lost nearly ₹28,000 crore. Kishor's party said the money could be used to secure loans worth ₹5–6 lakh crore from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Making the bold promise, Kishor said he will revoke the liquor ban within an hour if his party forms the next government in Bihar.

Hence, as political strategists say, women’s votes will likely be more issue-driven than loyalty-driven. Meanwhile, the youth’s growing impatience may push the discourse toward accountability and measurable results.