In Bihar’s highest-ever voter turnout, nearly 65% of 3.75 crore electors cast their ballots on Thursday across 121 constituencies in the first phase of the assembly elections — a high-stakes contest seen as a litmus test of the ruling NDA’s popularity.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday once again targeted the Election Commission of India (ECI) over alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) and electoral irregularities.
Controversy has been caused by a scathing article by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor labeling dynastic politics as a serious threat to the Indian democracy, with a specific reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family, which has solidified political leadership as a birthright, and demands political reforms to make India more meritocratic.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has sparked a fresh controversy with his remarks suggesting that only a small section of the population — primarily from upper castes — dominates key institutions in India, including the armed forces, reports said.
Predominance of caste system has been stated to be the bane of Bihar, but it’s forthcoming election is witnessing regional allies of BJP and Congress getting a lion’s share of seats lest the caste equation go awry. Keenly aware of the deciding role of caste in voting behaviour, the leadership of both the national level parties have left the constituencies reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates to the regional allies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would raise a massive saffron flag on top of the recently built Ram Temple in Ayodhya, marking the finalization of the temple and a new era in the history of neither the city nor the country as a whole in terms of spirituality and culture.
The Opposition Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday released its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly polls, promising a government job to one member of every family, restoration of the old pension scheme, 200 units of free power to each household, lift ban on toddy and a monthly allowance of Rs.2,500 under Mai Bahin Yojna for women. The NDA alliance termed the manifesto a “bundle of lies”.
Never losing an opportunity of describing itself as “a party with a difference”, BJP leadership in Bihar has travelled the same path as the political outfits it seeks to distance itself from after it fielded Maithili Thakur at Alinagar seat. Thus it has set aside the claims of veterans by opting for Thakur, a singer, whose voice is one of the most recognisable in the digital age.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a process meant to verify and update voter lists by adding new voters and deleting ineligible ones.
India-ASEAN strategic partnership has continued to prosper despite the prevailing ‘era of uncertainties’, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (October 26, 2025). Delivering his opening remarks virtually at the 22nd ASEAN-India summit, held in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Modi described ASEAN as a “cultural partner” of India, announcing further deepening of India-ASEAN cooperation in the domain of maritime security in 2026.
