Bihar

Patna: In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, women played a crucial role in helping the NDA cross the historic 200-seat mark. Yet, despite being half of the state’s population, women could secure less than a quarter of the seats in the legislature. Both participation and victory rates for women candidates lagged significantly behind their male counterparts. Participation Across PartiesIn the 2025 elections, only 258 women candidates contested against 2,357 men, highlighting the persistent gender gap in political representation. Among the major parties, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led in nominating women, fielding 23 female candidates, while the Indian National Congress nominated six, the VIP and left parties fielded one each. Within the NDA, the BJP and JD(U) each fielded 13 women...

Patna: The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections have highlighted a stark underrepresentation of the Muslim community. While Muslims constitute 17.6% of the state’s population, their presence in the Bihar Legislative Assembly has been reduced to just 11 legislators, accounting for only 4.52% of total seats. This reflects the persistent social, economic, and educational marginalization of the community. Given that religion-based reservation is not feasible under India’s democratic framework, questions have arisen regarding how the democratic system can adequately reflect the rights and aspirations of the Muslim population. Experts emphasize that Muslims must focus on strategic alignment on development issues rather than separatist approaches. What Experts SayAnalysts argue that a separatist o...

Patna: Newly-elected Mokama MLA Anant Singh may soon be released from Beur Jail, Patna, as proceedings of the Bihar Assembly begin today. Singh, currently in custody in connection with the Dular Chand Yadav murder case, has filed a bail petition in the Patna High Court to secure interim relief and take oath as an MLA. Legislators are required to take their oath between 1–5 December, and Singh’s lawyers have cited this constitutional obligation while requesting the court’s intervention. Remarkably, despite being under arrest, Anant Singh contested and won the assembly election from Mokama on a JD(U) ticket. Interim Bail Sought for Oath-Taking Singh’s legal team informed the High Court that their client must be present in the Bihar Assembly to formally assume office. “He was elected...

Patna: Pressure is mounting on Bihar’s former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Rabri Devi, to vacate her government bungalow. In response, the Lalu Prasad Yadav family is reportedly planning to shift to their under-construction private residence in the Mahua Bagh area of Danapur block, Patna. On Saturday, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav personally visited the construction site with his security team to review the progress of the new home. Sources indicate that the family has instructed the builder to expedite completion. Private Home Takes Priority Over Government Allotment A senior aide close to Lalu Prasad hinted that the family may choose to move into their Danapur residence rather than the newly allotted government bungalow. Rabri Devi and her hu...

Patna, 29 November 2025: The Bihar Mahagathbandhan appears to be heading toward a possible split as tensions between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress have intensified following a controversial remark by RJD’s state president Mangani Lal Mandal. In the aftermath of the 2025 Assembly election defeat, both allies have begun blaming each other, triggering a fresh political storm. RJD Tells Congress to “Know Its Aukat”RJD state president Mangani Lal Mandal launched a scathing attack on the Congress, claiming that whatever seats and votes the party secured in the Bihar elections were solely due to RJD’s strong support base.“If Congress wants to pursue a separate political path, they are free to do so. They will then realise their actual strength,” Mandal said. He also reminded ...