Bihar has delivered its verdict with striking clarity. The NDA is to return to power with a sweeping mandate, securing 202 of the state’s 243 seats ~ a margin that underlines both its organisational strength and the enduring appeal of its leadership. As the results took final shape through counting day, the NDA moved far ahead across most constituencies, while the Mahagathbandhan struggled to gain traction. For chief minister Nitish Kumar, this mandate is an emphatic reaffirmation of a long-tested model of governance: targeted welfare, calibrated social coalitions and a reputation for administrative steadiness. His schemes aimed at women, the emphasis on rural delivery systems and the promise of predictable leadership appear to have found strong resonance.

The BJP’s dominance across regions ~ backed by an efficient booth-level structure and the personal popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ~ ensured that the NDA’s vote did not fragment........

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