Turning point: Has women’s welfare scheme changed NDA’s Bihar fortune?

Internal assessment shows NDA's cautious optimism as Nitish's welfare scheme reshapes momentum.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA NEW DELHI

An internal assessment carried out by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) before polling began in Bihar had projected the combine to win around 117 of the state's 243 seats-just short of the 122 required for a majority.

The forecast, drawn from constituency-level feedback gathered by BJP and JD(U) coordinators, reflected guarded optimism within the ruling alliance. It suggested that the NDA was positioned to return to power, but without a sweeping wave. The contest appeared fragmented, shaped largely by local equations, candidate strength, and micro-level issues rather than any unifying sentiment.

In the early campaign phase, alliance managers described the election as a seat-by-seat fight. Ground feedback pointed to uneven mobilisation and limited enthusiasm among booth workers. Caste alignments, MLA reputations, and local grievances were influencing voters far more than larger narratives. In several constituencies-especially where sitting MLAs were dropped or candidates were perceived as outsiders-the organisational tempo was missing.