Bihar Mandate 2025: How Shah’s Micro-Management and Nitish’s Women Vote Bank Delivered a Landslide

That’s when Union Home Minister Amit Shah stepped in.

A seasoned strategist with a reputation for firefighting internal crises, Shah spent hours persuading disgruntled party members, making phone calls well past midnight to convince each sceptic. His intervention cleared the runway for Thakur’s victory in what was traditionally seen as a tough seat for the BJP.

Inside the BJP, leaders across Delhi and Patna quietly acknowledged that Shah’s groundwork played a crucial role in the NDA’s sweeping performance. He clocked 46 engagements during the campaign, amplifying Modi’s popularity and reinforcing Nitish Kumar’s goodwill among voters. Responding to the mandate, Shah highlighted that in the last 11 years, Modi had worked “wholeheartedly” for Bihar while Nitish Kumar pulled the state out of the shadows of jungle raj.

“A heartfelt salute to the people of Bihar — the protectors of knowledge, hard work and democracy,” he said. He termed each vote for the NDA as an endorsement of the Centre’s stand against infiltrators and those who support them “for votebank politics.”

He called the verdict a victory for every Bihari who wants to see a developed state — and a rejection of the politics of appeasement.

How Women Voters Became the NDA’s Decisive Force

If Amit Shah handled the back-end, Nitish Kumar found his biggest support base at the frontlines: women. Bihar’s women voters have long shown a distinct preference for Nitish, thanks to a series of pro-women policies dating back to 2005. But this election saw an unprecedented surge.

The cash transfer of ₹10,000 to 1.5 crore women ahead of the polls acted like a turbocharger. For many beneficiaries and members of the massive Jeevika self-help group network, the scheme felt like a post-festival bonus — one that translated into a strong political statement.

The turnout numbers tell the story. 71.6% women voters cast their ballots, nearly 9 percentage points higher than men, and a significant jump from 2020. This wave cut across caste and class lines, strengthening the NDA’s hold.

Policies spread over the last two decades created this constituency: free bicycles for schoolgirls, reservations for women in government jobs and panchayats, and welfare initiatives that improved everyday life for poor households. Even prohibition — often criticised by men for its patchy enforcement — retains steadfast support among women who credit it with reducing domestic abuse and household distress.

Journalists travelling through Bihar repeatedly encountered the same contrast: men complaining about the liquor ban, and women insisting that despite flaws, the policy has been a blessing.

For many women, the NDA era equals safety. Memories of rampant hooliganism during the RJD years between 1990 and 2005 remain strong. While crime hasn’t vanished, there is a broad perception that the government no longer looks away — an image the RJD has struggled to shake off.

Add to this the Modi government’s free ration scheme, a daily lifeline for countless families, and Nitish’s enduring image as a dependable, almost avuncular figure, and the result becomes clearer: women trusted the NDA — and they delivered.

The Public's Verdict

The Bihar mandate is the product of two forces working in tandem: Amit Shah’s organisational precision and Nitish Kumar’s deep social imprint among women. Together, they built a coalition of trust — young, old, rural, urban — that reshaped the state’s political landscape and sealed a decisive win for the NDA.

Also Read: Bihar Results Live: NDA Beyond 200, Mahagathbandhan Reels, Tejashwi Trails