Bihar 121 seats underwent the first phase of the assembly elections began on Polling begins from 7am and will continue until 5pm, with around 3.75 crore voters deciding the fate of 1,314 candidates and leaders such as, the INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, and several other ministers from the ruling NDA alliance across 18 districts under tight security. 10.72 lakh new voters, including 7.78 lakh aged 18–19, are eligible to vote in this round. Voting is being held across 45,341 polling stations, with nearly 37,000 located in rural areas. Among the 3.75 crore voters, 10.72 lakh were ‘new electors’. According to the Election Commission, The first phase will decide the political fortunes of several prominent figures, including RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in Raghopur, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and JD(U) ministers Shravan Kumar and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. As of 11:00 am, Bihar recorded an overall voter turnout of 27.65% in the first phase of polling. Among the districts, Begusarai registered the highest turnout at 30.37% and state capital Patna reported the lowest at 23.71%. The National Democratic Alliance, which is currently in power in the state, includes Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), Bhartiya Janata Party, Chirag Paswan Lok Jan shakti Party (Ram Vilas), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rastriya Lok Morcha. The opposition Mahagathbandhan consists of Rastriya Janata Dal, Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party. Political analyst Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party is set to mark its political debut with 2025 Bihar assembly polls, and has fielded candidates in all 243 seats. Jeevika Didis turn out in large numbers to vote in Patna’s Naubatpur. candidates’ caste their vote and woos the voter to cast their vote and fulfil their constitutional duty. Words of war is in full swing, ‘Tawa se roti palatati rahni chahiye nhi to jal jayegi’: Lalu Yadav calls on Bihar’s voters to usher in change.