India, Nov. 15 -- What began as a close contest ended in a decisive mandate. Those who led in early trends eventually slipped, while those who seemed headed for defeat managed surprising turnarounds. The 2025 Bihar Assembly election delivered plenty of dramatic moments, even as it concluded with the ruling NDA securing a clear majority and the Opposition's hopes collapsing.

The NDA overdelivered on its own promises and surpassed the already high expectations from pollsters, securing a win on 202 of the 243-member Assembly. In stark contrast, the Mahagathbandhan collapsed to just 25 seats - a steep fall from its 75-seat tally in the 2020 Bihar polls.

Despite a landslide victory for the NDA, a big suspense remains on who would be crowned ...