This special report reveals the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections, where a record-breaking turnout of over 60% has intensified the fight between the NDA and the Grand Alliance. Prominent personalities whose fate was sealed include Grand Alliance’s chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav in Raghopur and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha in Tarapur and Lakhisarai respectively. According to senior journalist Javed Ansari, ‘Don’t assume that whatever women are coming out, they are voting en masse or largely in favor of NDA or Mr Nitish Kumar.’ Analysis discusses whether the high voting percentage indicates an anti-incumbency wave or a vote for continuity, with experts divided on the potential impact of the crucial women vote, caste equation and ultra-local issues. The discussion also touched on other important contests, including that of Tej Pratap Yadav in Mahua and singer-politicians Kesarilal Yadav and Maithili Thakur.

This special report covers the high stakes of the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections, with a focus on key contests in Tarapur and Siwan. The electoral fortunes of two Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, are at stake, with Choudhary facing a tough fight in Tarapur. The main focus is the influence of women voters, whose preferences appear to be independent of traditional caste and family. An observer on the ground said family members were also uncertain, quoting one voter who said he was ‘not sure where the women in his own family would have voted.’ The election also marks the debut of late strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son Osama Shahab from the Raghunathpur seat, who is testing his family’s legacy. Meanwhile, the entire day was filled with tension, including the attack on Deputy CM Vijay Sinha’s convoy in Lakhisarai.

This special report focuses on the crucial role of women voters in the Bihar Assembly elections, with stalwarts like Chief Minister Nitish Kumar counting on their support. The central question is whether the ‘women vote’ will coalesce into a caste-neutral vote bank, a process that Nitish Kumar has nurtured over the years. ‘Will now, you know, gender come back into caste?’ the report asks, highlighting the main tensions. The analysis explores whether government schemes, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, which provides financial assistance, and reservation for women in panchayat and police jobs will be enough to secure their votes. The report compares this to the possibility of caste identity predominating over gender-based incentives, making women’s voting an unpredictable element that could determine the outcome of an election.