Where Women Lead, NDA Wins: Gender Divide Shapes Bihar's Electoral Outcome

Which party will women support in the 2025 Bihar elections? The answer will be revealed on November 14, when the results are announced. But one thing is clear: every political party is making an effort to woo women voters, especially the NDA, which believes their support is essential for victory.

One might ask that men also vote for the NDA, so why are women voters considered so critical? Here's why.

"Don't call me sir, call me bhaiya," Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently told women BJP polling booth workers. The message was clear: women voters are vital for the NDA's return to power.

Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari observes, "Women's votes can again be the deciding factor." Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also launched several welfare schemes for women, underlining the growing significance of this voter group in Bihar's political landscape.

Women At The Centre Of NDA's Strategy

Both the BJP and JD(U) see women and young people as crucial voter groups in this election. Through the Chief Minister's Women Employment Scheme, Rs 10,000 has been deposited into the bank accounts of 1.25 crore women.

Every household now gets 125 units of free electricity, and social security pensions have increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100, helping 11.2 million families.

Additionally, the 35% reservation for women in police recruitment and 50% reservation in panchayats and local bodies have placed women at the heart of decision-making. Low-interest loans for Jeevika Didis, increased allowances for ASHA and Mamata workers, and priority in employment schemes have all strengthened the NDA's bond with women voters.

Why NDA Is Pushing for Women Voters

The NDA's focus on women voters is backed by hard facts. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA won 60.5% of the seats in constituencies where women voters are more than men.

Out of 243 total seats, 119 constituencies had more women than men on the voter list. Among those 119, the NDA secured 72 seats (60.5%), while the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) won 42 seats (35.3%).

To break it down further, among those 72 seats, the BJP won 38 and JD(U) won 29, meaning the BJP took about 50% of the seats where women voters outnumbered men, while JD(U) captured around 40%.

Gender Divide In Voting Patterns

However, this advantage does not apply to male-dominated constituencies. In the 124 seats where men outnumbered women, the NDA won 53 seats (42.7%) while the MGB won 68 seats (54.8%).

Within the NDA, the BJP's success rate in these male-majority seats was around 68%, whereas JD(U) achieved just 26.3%, indicating that JD(U) performs much better in areas with higher female voter turnout.

Interestingly, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM also found success primarily in female-majority areas. Of the five seats AIMIM won in 2020, four were in constituencies where women voters outnumbered men by over 16,000 votes.

MGB's Strength Lies With Male Voters

The Mahagathbandhan, which includes the RJD, Congress, Left and smaller allies, performed better in areas with higher male voter turnout. The MGB won 42 female-majority seats (RJD 29, Congress 6), but in male-majority regions, it secured 68 seats, compared to the NDA's 53.

Overall, the RJD won 46 and Congress took 13 of those male-dominated seats.

In 38 constituencies during the 2020 elections, the number of women voters exceeded the winning margin. The NDA won 23 of these seats and the MGB secured 13, suggesting that women's turnout directly impacted the final results in the NDA's favour

It is important to note that the NDA's overall lead over the MGB in 2020 was just 15 seats (NDA won 125 and MGB 110 seats).

Beyond Caste: A New Political Identity

Bihar's political landscape has long been shaped by complex caste dynamics, including General, OBCs (Other Backward Classes), EBCs (Economically Backward Classes), SCs (Scheduled Castes), and STs (Scheduled Tribes). However, women are now emerging as a new political constituency that cuts across caste lines.

The NDA's emphasis on cash incentives, welfare benefits, and empowerment programmes has built a loyal base among women, a strategy that helped the BJP win in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Delhi. The party aims to replicate that success in upcoming elections in Bihar.