Patna: The Bihar Assembly elections resulted in a significant victory for the NDA, with 24 ministers returning to the Assembly with substantial winning margins. This outcome is viewed as an endorsement of the state government’s performance and leadership. Alliance leaders describe this as one of the strongest electoral waves in recent years, fueled by a combination of development pledges, caste dynamics, and organizational strength. However, amidst this widespread celebration, one result was notably different. Sumit Kumar Singh, a minister in Nitish Kumar’s government, lost the Chakai seat despite being in office. His defeat was unexpected as he was the only minister in the entire administration to lose at the polls.
Singh ran as an independent candidate, replicating his previous successful bid in 2020, which led to his ministerial role. Prior to that, he had contested the 2010 election on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ticket and faced defeat in 2015. His continuous shifts in political roles now face a new challenge with this setback. Meanwhile, nearly all prominent figures in the alliance achieved easy victories. BJP leader Mangal Pandey won decisively in his initial contest, indicating his growing influence within the party. Both Deputy Chief Ministers — Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha — also recorded significant wins.
Samrat Chaudhary transitioned from the Legislative Council to contest the Tarapur seat this time, maintaining his winning streak after being elected twice from Parbatta. The election results reinforced that ministers from both the BJP and JD(U) enjoy solid grassroots support. All 15 BJP ministers were victorious. Senior leader Prem Kumar won from Gaya Town for the eighth consecutive time, equaling the remarkable record of his JD(U) counterpart Bijendra Yadav, who has also won from Supaul eight times. Every one of the 11 JD(U) ministers — including Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Shravan Kumar, Leshi Singh, Madan Sahni, Maheshwar Hazari, Sheela Kumari, Sunil Kumar, Jayant Raj, Mohammad Jamakhan, and Ratnesh Sada — successfully returned to the Assembly.
Collectively, these results indicate a significant wave in favor of the NDA and Nitish Kumar’s government, with only one notable exception. For the alliance, this overwhelming success solidifies its position in the Assembly and enhances its political confidence. However, for Sumit Kumar Singh, the lone minister left behind in this tide of victories, his defeat raises uncertainties regarding his future political strategy and whether he can regain the support he once had.