New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday said the high turnout of women voters in the Bihar Assembly polls was a “historic transformation” and claimed that they voted “decisively” in favour of the NDA for development and good governance.
“Since 2014, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pro-incumbency for good governance has become a new habit in Indian democracy, a trend unseen before,” the party said.
Sharing provisional data on Tuesday, the Election Commission said Bihar registered an overall voter turnout of 66.91 per cent, its highest since the first state polls in 1951.
The state also recorded the highest female voter turnout in its history, it added.
The poll panel noted that in the first phase of voting on November 6, female turnout was recorded at 69.04 per cent as compared to 61.56 per cent for men.
In the second and final phase of polling held on Tuesday, the women voters again turned out in larger numbers at 74.03 per cent against a male voter turnout of 64.1 per cent.
BJP national spokesperson and former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that the “unprecedented” turnout of the women electors was an indication that they voted in favour of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
He said the Bihar polls were about the choice between PM Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. It was also about the choice between RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he added.
“The exit polls are indicating a majority for the NDA partners. And I am just commenting on the exit polls. It is not my opinion.
“In the next 48 hours, results would be out… There is a positive movement towards NDA,” the senior BJP leader told PTI Videos.
Counting of votes will be undertaken on November 14.
Commenting on the provisional voter data, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said on X, “The overall male-female ratio stood at 71.6 for women against 62.8 for men. Female turnout 7.48 per cent higher than male turnout. Phase 2: Female turnout 9.93 per cent higher than male turnout.”
“Compare this to Bihar’s first Assembly election (1952) — when female turnout was lower than male turnout by 6 per cent. The transformation is historic,” he added.
Bhandari said the 2025 Bihar polls have been the “most gender-inclusive” election since Independence.
“Women in Bihar have voted decisively. ‘The ‘M Factor’ — ‘Mahila Factor’ –believing in development and sushasan (good governance) has emerged as the real swing factor,” he said, adding, “Political pundits must stop viewing Bihar’s polity only through the lens of caste.”
Bhandari said the “new political grammar” of Bihar is “gender + governance”.
Since 2014, under PM Modi, pro-incumbency for good governance has become a new habit in Indian democracy — a trend unseen before,” he added.
As the two-phase polling in Bihar concluded on Tuesday evening, exit polls predicted a big victory for the NDA, with the Mahagathbandhan a distant second. They also predicted a disappointing show by Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj in its debut outing, forecasting a range of 0-5 seats for it in the 243-member Assembly.
