- Title: Celebrations erupt as Modi’s alliance set to win Indian Hindi heartland vote
- Date: 14th November 2025
- Summary: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (NOVEMBER 14, 2025) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING OUTSIDE BUS HUB AND METRO STATION NEAR SITE OF CRASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT, JULIAN ERNESTES, SAYING: “The double-decker bus here in the middle accelerated and crashed into the bus stop.” POLICE TAPE ACROSS STAIRS AT METRO STATION ENTRANCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT, FABIAN
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- Keywords: Amit Shah Bharatiya Janata Party Bihar India Janata Dal (United) Narendra Modi National Democratic Alliance Nitish Kumar Patna Rajnath Singh celebrations elections firecrackers victory voting
- Location: PATNA, BIHAR/NEW DELHI, INDIA
- City: PATNA, BIHAR/NEW DELHI, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA002MZP08JZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Celebrations broke out as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling coalition was set to comfortably retain power in the poor and populous state of Bihar, a vote count showed on Friday (November 14), giving him a boost after a disappointing national vote last year.
Winning Bihar is crucial because it is India's third-most-populous state with nearly 130 million people and it sends the fifth-highest number of lawmakers to Parliament.
Control of the eastern state strengthens any party's power in the Hindi heartland and often helps to shape national political narratives.
"The people of Bihar voted for developed and prosperous Bihar," said Modi in New Delhi.
The Bihar outcome would mark a sharp reversal for Modi, who lost his parliamentary majority in last year's national elections and had to lean on allies to remain in power. Since then, his party has steadily regained ground, winning several key state contests.
Political analysts have said one of the key factors in the Bihar election was Modi's September transfer of 75 billion rupees ($853 million) to millions of women in the state under an employment programme.
Women voters across India have turned out in greater numbers over the past decade and political parties have competed to attract them. Previously, men easily outnumbered women at India's polling stations.
Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari, who travelled across Bihar during the election - which was held in two phases on November 6 and 11 - said it was "just the women" who were set to give Modi a better result than what he received the last time.
According to a survey this week by Tiwari's VoteVibe agency, Modi's alliance secured 48.5% of the female vote, more than 10 percentage points higher than the main opposition bloc.
States including Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are due to go to the polls next year. Of those states, the BJP is in power only in Assam. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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