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Bihar Election Analysis: Did Women and Youth Really Deliver a Landslide Victory for the NDA?

Patna, Bihar – November 21, 2025 – The National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) resounding victory in the recent Bihar Assembly elections has sparked debate about the key factors that propelled them to power. While the “MY” (Mahila & Yuva – Women & Youth) vote has been touted as a game-changer, a deeper analysis suggests a more nuanced picture.

Analysts initially pointed to increased female voter turnout and the NDA’s promises targeting young voters, specifically the pledge of one crore government jobs, as pivotal in securing the win. The state government’s last-minute scheme benefiting women further fueled speculation about the impact of the women’s vote. The BJP’s promise of one crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ was also expected to resonate among women voters.

However, political scientist Suhas Palshikar argues that attributing the victory solely to these factors is an oversimplification. While female voter turnout was indeed higher than male turnout, this trend has been observed in past Bihar elections, partly attributed to male migration.

Poll data does indicate a slight gender advantage for the NDA, with a higher percentage of women voters supporting the alliance compared to men. However, the data also shows that the JD(U) tends to bring more women voters to the NDA alliance.

Furthermore, Palshikar’s analysis emphasizes that voting patterns are often shaped by caste and community affiliations, with women and youth largely mirroring the voting preferences of their respective social groups. The upper and middle classes and upper castes voted for the NDA on a massive scale. Correspondingly, the women and the youth among them voted for the NDA in similarly large proportions.

“The rhetoric of there being a game-changer is useful for both the politician and the analyst,” Palshikar states, cautioning against overlooking the influence of traditional social divisions. While the increased participation of women and a moderate surge in youth support likely contributed to the NDA’s victory, attributing the landslide win solely to the “MY” vote requires a more comprehensive examination of the various factors at play, including pre-existing social structures and alliances.

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