As Bihar gears up for the Assembly elections on November 6 and 11, 2025, the spotlight is increasingly turning towards the smaller parties and their potential to sway the outcome in a state known for its complex political equations. In Bihar, where elections are often closely contested and decided by narrow margins, these parties can act either as spoilers or kingmakers.
The upcoming elections for the 243-seat legislature are generating considerable buzz, especially around the role smaller parties will play. The two major alliances, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA bloc, are vying for supremacy, with smaller parties potentially holding the key to victory.
In the NDA, while the BJP and Janata Dal (United) (JDU) are contesting 101 seats each, the remaining seats are allocated to smaller allies. These include the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP(RV)] with 29 seats, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) with 6 seats each. The allocation of seats wasn't without its challenges, as some smaller parties initially expressed discontent over their assigned share. For instance, Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM, which had hoped for at least 15 seats, had to settle for only six.
The INDIA bloc, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and including Congress, CPI (ML), CPI, CPM, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), is also working to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement. However, forging a consensus has proven difficult, with disagreements arising over the number of seats each party will contest.
Several factors contribute to the significance of smaller parties in Bihar's political landscape. Caste dynamics play a crucial role, with parties often drawing support from specific caste groups. For example, the LJP(RV) has a solid backing of over 5% Paswans, while HAM can influence the votes of Mushhars. Similarly, VIP hopes to appeal to a group of castes traditionally involved in boat operations and fishing.
The 2020 Assembly elections serve as a reminder of the disruptive potential of smaller parties. Despite winning only one seat, the LJP, under Chirag Paswan, contested 135 seats and caused significant damage to JDU by securing the defeat of the latter in over two dozen constituencies. This had a profound impact on Nitish Kumar's political standing.
Given the strong and committed voter base that both alliances enjoy, largely along caste lines, even a small percentage of votes can disrupt the numerical balance involving the major players. New entrants, like Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, are also aiming to make their mark. Kishor's party plans to contest all 243 seats and is focusing on breaking the Muslim-Yadav vote bloc through strategic caste-based ticket distribution. The party has announced two lists of candidates, emphasizing representation from the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), including both Hindu and Muslim candidates.
The Election Commission has announced that the Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11, with the counting scheduled for November 14. The reduction of 65 lakh voters from the draft list, bringing the total number of electors to 7.24 crore as of August 1, 2025, adds another layer of complexity to the electoral dynamics.
With the political landscape finely balanced, the smaller parties in Bihar hold considerable sway. Their ability to attract specific caste groups and influence voter sentiment could prove decisive in determining the outcome of the 2025 Assembly elections. Whether they act as spoilers or kingmakers remains to be seen, but their role is undeniable.
