The shockwaves of the November 2025 Bihar Assembly election results continue to reverberate—from Patna to Delhi and from Mumbai to Kolkata. Even on Sunday, 23 November, passengers on a DTC bus in the national capital were seen fiercely debating the outcome. Bihar’s educated class is delighted; the nation’s intellectual community, however, remains stunned. For many in Delhi and West Bengal, the verdict is still difficult to digest.

Self-styled election pundits, who often parade their predictions as gospel truth, have been left speechless. Meanwhile, many nationalists are calling the results a morale-booster for the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the upcoming elections in Assam and West Bengal. All eyes have now shifted to these states.

Across Bihar and among intellectual circles in other states, scholars, analysts and social observers have listed several reasons for the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) sweeping victory of over 200 seats. Among them, 21 compelling factors stand out:

1. The lingering fear of Jungle Raj

2. The ghost of rampant corruption

3. Public anger over the “insult to the mother”

4. Rising nationalist sentiment

5. The strategic “Operation Sindoor”

6. Comparative development across regimes

7. Democracy vs. dynastic politics

8. A fragmented and confused opposition

9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal appeal

10. Nitish Kumar’s political calibration

11. The emotional resonance of honouring Karpoori Thakur

12. The silent influence of President Droupadi Murmu

13. Respect extended to women and farmers

14. Renewed trust among the youth

15. Cracks in entrenched caste equations

16. Confusion within minority communities

17. Energised party cadres

18. The impact of the “double-engine” government

19. Effective election management strategies

20. Controversies surrounding the Election Commission

21. Cultural symbolism through the prominence of Chhath Puja

Taken together, these factors reveal the underlying reasons behind the crushing defeat of the so-called Mahagathbandhan. Whether the opposition accepts the verdict with maturity—or chooses to hide its failures behind allegations against the Election Commission—remains to be seen.

At the strategic level, many observers agree that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan and former minister Upendra Kushwaha, laid the groundwork for a historic victory. Their efforts aligned seamlessly with Home Minister Amit Shah’s “Chanakya strategy” and Nitish Kumar’s role akin to a “modern-day Chandragupta.” The combined impact of Yogi Adityanath and Asaduddin Owaisi sealed the final outcome.

One aspect largely unnoticed by the public is that Prashant Kishor, the political strategist, quietly achieved his own unspoken objective in this election—something only a handful have been able to decipher.

Bihar’s verdict is now sealed; nothing can alter it. Yet the lessons it offers are profound. The opposition at the Centre may study these outcomes carefully for the next round of Assembly elections, while the ruling coalition may draw renewed confidence from the mandate.

The message from Bihar’s voters is loud and clear:

They want a people-centric government, not a family-centric one.

They seek development over division, results over rhetoric and respect for every mother and every daughter.

The electorate has spoken decisively—rejecting parochialism, casteism and political entitlement. The future now hinges on how political forces interpret and act upon this powerful and transformative mandate.