Bihar Elections 2025: Party Promises—NDA and Mahagathbandhan Manifestos Overview and Prashant Kishor's Agenda Explained

Key Points

With the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections around the corner, party preparations have kicked into full gear. The main contenders in the state polls – the NDA and Mahagathbandhan – along with Jan Suraaj, have laid out their governance plans for the state.

The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD and Congress, was the first to release its manifesto on 28 October 2025. The parcha gives equal weight to developmental and welfare policies centred around education, employment, health, and infrastructure.

The NDA, led by the JD(U) and BJP, released its manifesto next, on 31 October 2025. The parcha echoed many of the same points as its rival, but larger in scale. It also put greater emphasis on infrastructure and religious issues.

Jan Suraaj, the self-stated ‘third option’ to the key players, is yet to release an official manifesto. However, after the party was formally inaugurated, its founder, Prashant Kishor, released a five-point agenda for the state. He has since raised several other issues his party aims to address.

Mahagathbandhan Manifesto – Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran

·   Within 20 days of forming the government, the alliance will pass a law guaranteeing one government job for each family in the state, and within 20 months it will begin to grant employment.

·  Jeevika Didis are community mobilisers who facilitate women’s self-help groups as part of the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project. They will be designated as permanent government employees, with a monthly salary of ₹30,000 and two-year interest free loans. Other Jeevika workers will receive allowances and honorariums.

·  Women will receive a monthly stipend of ₹2,500 under the Mai-Behin Man Yojana. The alliance will also introduce the BETI and MAI schemes through which women will be provided with benefits and facilities relating to education, employment, and housing.

·  The Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees will be reinstated. The Social Security Pension amount will be raised to ₹3,000 for widows and disabled people. The alliance will also set up a Department for Disability.

·  Households will receive 200 units of electricity for free each month. Healthcare coverage will be raised to ₹25 lakh per person. The state liquor ban will be scrapped.

·  The mandi system will be reintroduced and all crops will be purchased at MSP. Wages under MGNREGA will be raised to ₹300 per day and guaranteed working days per year will be increased to 200. A labour census will be undertaken, and a department will be set up for the welfare of migrant workers. Contractual workers across departments will be regularised.

·  The reservation policy will be revitalised with the cap being raised past 50%. Based on the caste census rates will be increased from 20% to 30% for extremely backward classes (EBC), 16% to 20% for SCs, and proportionally for other categories. Special attention will be paid to EBCs who make up 36% of Bihar’s population. A law will be passed protecting the group from atrocities.

·  Competitive exams will be free, travel will be provided to centres, and a domicile policy will be implemented. Scholarships for international education will be provided to 200 SC/ST students.

·  Special attention will be given to skill training and job-oriented education. Industrial hubs, Special Economic Zones, IT parks, and training centres will be set up across the state, focused on industries like agriculture, healthcare, dairy and husbandry, tourism, etc. An education city, health and logistics hubs, and five expressways will be constructed.

·  Police reforms will be implemented, filling up vacant posts and establishing an independent body to curb corruption and political influence in the force. Police capacity and accountability will be increased. Laws protecting women from violence will be revitalised.

·  The Waqf Act will be put on hold and Buddhists will be put in charge of management of structures in Bodh Gaya.

See Also: 2025 Bihar Elections: JMM Withdraws From Election on Final Day of Nominations

NDA Manifesto – Sankalp Patra

·  One crore government jobs will be allotted. The alliance will conduct a ‘skill census’ to provide skill-based employment, and construct ‘mega skill centres’ in every district.

·  Under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, women will receive financial assistance up to ₹3 lakh. One crore women will become ‘Lakhpati Didis’, and ‘Mission Crorepati’ will be launched, aiming to help turn female entrepreneurs into millionaires.

·  Households will receive 125 units of free electricity and free rations. Health insurance up to ₹5 lakh will be provided per person, along with ₹4 lakh health insurance for commercial drivers. 50 lakh pakka-houses and a children’s speciality hospital will also be constructed.

·  Unskilled workers will receive financial assistance and training. Global skilling centres and centres for sports will be set up across the state. Students will receive free education till PG, while schools will include skill labs and balanced midday meals. A ‘World Class Education City’ and a ‘Bihar Sports City’ will be established. ₹5,000 crore will be spent on revitalising district schools and medical colleges will be established in each district.

·  The Karpoori Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme will be implemented, increasing assistance to ₹9,000 per farmer and fisherman per year for three years. ₹1 lakh crore will be spent on agri-infrastructure projects and crops will be purchased at MSP. Five food parks will be developed, aiming to create food self-reliance in the state and double exports. Special focus will be given to makhana and fish exports. A flood management board will also be set up to tackle annual floods.

·  EBC business groups will receive ₹10 lakh financial assistance. A high-level committee headed by an ex-SC judge will evaluate and suggest policies to empower the EBC community based on their social and economic conditions. All Dalit students pursuing higher education will receive ₹2,000 per month, and SC entrepreneurs will receive special funds.

·  3,600 km of railway tracks will be renovated, while the Amrit Bharat Expressway and the NaMo Rapid Rail will be extended. Metros will be developed in four cities, and seven expressways will also be constructed. International airports will be constructed in Patna, Darbhanga, Purnia and Bhagalpur, and flights from ten new cities will travel to the state.

·  Under the Viksit Bihar Audyogik Mission, with a fund of ₹1 lakh crore, the alliance will establish manufacturing units in every district and construct ten industrial parks. Meanwhile, the Viksit Bihar Industrial Development Masterplan will create lakhs of jobs. 100 MSME parks will be opened in the state, which itself will be transformed into a “global workplace” and a global textile hub. This is expected to generate investments of ₹50 lakh crore.

·  A greenfield city will be established in New Patna along with satellite townships in major areas. Collateral-free loans will be disbursed to set up one lakh green homestays, a film city, an arts university, a drama school, and media institute.

·  A new spiritual city – Sitapur – will be constructed, marking the birthplace of Sita. Vishnupad and Mahabodhi corridors will be constructed, along with a Maa Janki temple. Ramayana, Jain, Buddhist, and Ganga circuits will also be established.

See Also: 'No Vacancy': BJP’s Samrat Choudhary Dismisses Speculation Of Nitish Kumar's Replacement As Bihar CM

Jan Suraaj Manifesto? – Priorities and Promises

Jan Suraaj is yet to announce an official election manifesto. However, soon after the party was officially established, Prashant Kishor unveiled a five-point agenda that underlines the party’s direction. Later, while speaking to Times Now, he also outlined seven promises Jan Suraaj will deliver if elected to power.

“Education and employment will be our top priority,” Kishor said at an event in early October 2025, while also highlighting other priorities for the party: pensions, soft loans to women, and land reforms.

“One may ask from where we will get the money to do this,” Kishor has said.

·  “If we are voted to power, we will lift the liquor ban within an hour. We need an estimated Rs 5 lakh crore to overhaul the education system in 10 years. By lifting the liquor ban, we can get Rs 20,000 crore annually from excise tax alone. That can be directly used to transform the education sector.”

He has emphasised bank reforms he wishes to undertake, highlighting Bihar’s disproportionate credit-to-deposit ratio. He has also pointed out that a lack of investment within the state was driving outward migration and hampering businesses.

·  “The government will give Rs 2,000 monthly pension to each. This will cost Rs 6,000 crore annually and will be set apart from the annual budget.”

·  “We will also ensure loans to women entrepreneurs at 4% annual interest. The government will take the load of another 6% interest.”

“We need land reforms and new ways of earning from cash crops. Land survey will only make siblings and relatives fight one another. It is beset with corruption,” Kishor has said.

·  He later added that those farming cash crops will be declared labour-free under the MNREGA.

·  He stated that a relief and rehabilitation department will be set up to provide employment and tackle outward migration.

·  He added that children from every village would receive sponsorship to attend private schools till government schools’ standards improve.

Finally, Kishor has assured the public that candidates for his party are chosen by popular vote and can be removed from office after election if they are not performing adequately.

·  His final promise was to set up a special court to try corrupt government officials and politicians. Any money recovered will be added to state funds. He said that he had a list of 100 names ready.

“The schemes are aimed at making Bihar one of the 10 leading states in the country,” he has said.

See Also: Bihar Election 2025: Jan Suraaj Fields Transgender Social Worker Preeti Kinnar from Bhore Assembly Seat in Bihar

Conclusion

The Mahagathbandhan manifesto seeks to lift Bihar’s populace out of poverty and unemployment through targeted welfare schemes, while putting emphasis on governance reforms and policy initiatives. The initiatives detailed are people centric, focusing on equity and upliftment, but lack long-term investment.

The NDA manifesto seeks reform through investment. It emphasises upliftment through developmental schemes and incentives. It specifies a larger budget and range of projects. The initiatives detailed are centred around infrastructure and investment, but with limited policy reforms.

Jan Suraaj’s agenda seeks a complete overhaul of the current models of governance, administration, and law and order in the state. It is not as robust and detailed as its’ competitors’ manifestos, but outlines set goals and introduces novel proposals. The initiatives, though limited, are centred around welfare and reform with well-reasoned steps planned out. [Rh]

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