Exit polls hint at Nitish-Modi comeback in Bihar, but Falodi betting market predicts neck-and-neck race
As the dust settles after polling in Bihar, most exit polls have projected a return of the Nitish Kumar–Narendra Modi-led NDA government, suggesting the alliance could secure close to 150 seats in the 243-member Assembly. However, opposition parties have dismissed these findings outright, insisting that the results on counting day could spring a surprise.Beyond the exit polls, political circles are closely watching another unconventional barometer of electoral mood — the Falodi betting market of Rajasthan, considered the most influential among India’s underground “satta bazaars.” Located in a small town near Jodhpur, the Falodi market has a long history of making strikingly accurate predictions, from state elections to sports outcomes, though it operates illegally.While most television polls have given the NDA a clear edge, the Falodi market tells a different story — one of a photo-finish contest. According to the betting trends, the NDA is projected to win between 105 and 135 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan, led by Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), could secure between 97 and 127 seats.The Falodi market also predicts a poor performance for Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, likely to win only 0–1 seat, while the RJD may emerge as the single-largest party with more than 75 seats, ahead of the BJP and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United). The Congress, a junior partner in the Mahagathbandhan, is expected to fare the weakest among the alliance constituents.Interestingly, despite the tight race, bookmakers still assign a 60 per cent probability to Nitish Kumar returning as Chief Minister, compared to 40 per cent for Tejashwi Yadav.Adding to the mixed signals, the Axis My India exit poll — one of the country’s most reputed survey agencies — has forecast a closer-than-expected battle in Bihar, differing slightly from other pollsters that have projected a decisive NDA victory.According to the Axis My India survey, the NDA could win 121–141 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan may bag 98–118 seats. The Jan Suraaj Party is expected to win 0–2 seats, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM may secure up to two seats. Other smaller parties could win between one and five seats.The vote-share projections, too, underline the razor-thin contest: the NDA is estimated to receive 43 per cent of the vote, compared with 41 per cent for the Mahagathbandhan.While opinion polls and betting trends both hint at a tight race, political observers caution that Bihar’s volatile electoral arithmetic — shaped by caste coalitions and last-minute swings — often defies forecasts. The final verdict, they say, will depend not on projections but on the “silent voter” who remains the decisive force in Bihar’s politics.
Murshidabad link surfaces in Delhi Red Fort blast; NIA team raids multiple locations in Bengal
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted extensive searches in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district in connection with Monday evening’s car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which has been classified as a major national security incident.Within 48 hours of the blast, an NIA investigation team arrived in Bengal after a phone number traced from one of the arrested suspects in Delhi led them to a man in Murshidabad’s Nim village under Nabagram police station. The number, sources said, belonged to Moinul Hasan, a migrant worker who has previously travelled to Delhi and Mumbai for work.According to investigators, Moinul is believed to have come in contact with suspected members of a terror module during his stay outside Bengal. Acting on the intelligence input, seven NIA officers, assisted by local police, carried out an early morning raid at his residence. He was interrogated for several hours and his mobile devices and documents were seized for forensic examination.Officials said that the operation was not confined to Nim village alone. Raids were also conducted in other pockets of Murshidabad district, where several names have surfaced during questioning. “Some leads point to possible local support networks,” an official involved in the search said, without revealing further details.The NIA’s move comes amid widening investigations into the Red Fort blast, in which 15 people have so far been detained. Investigators are also probing the role of four doctors, suspected to be key operatives of a so-called ‘white-collar terror module’ based in Faridabad, Haryana.According to preliminary findings, the group was planning coordinated attacks in major Indian cities, and had been stockpiling explosives for months. The Delhi blast, investigators believe, may have occurred prematurely due to mishandling or haste, averting a larger catastrophe.Murshidabad’s emergence in the investigation has raised concerns, as the district has earlier figured in terror-related probes. In February this year, several members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) — an extremist outfit with cross-border links — were arrested from the area. Subsequent raids across Assam and other states had led to the recovery of arms and documents indicating a wider network.Security agencies are now examining whether the Murshidabad connection to the Delhi blast is an isolated communication link or part of a larger recruitment and logistics chain operating through migrant networks.Investigations are continuing, and NIA sources indicated that more arrests could follow in the coming days as digital forensics and call records are analyzed.
Former Trinamul MLA Amal Acharya returns to Congress ahead of Assembly polls
In yet another political homecoming ahead of the Assembly elections, former Trinamul Congress MLA and BJP leader Amal Acharya rejoined the Congress on Wednesday. The induction took place at the state party headquarters, Bidhan Bhavan, in the presence of AICC observer Ghulam Ahmad Mir and WBPCC president Shubhankar Sarkar.Acharya, who once served as the North Dinajpur district president of the Trinamul Congress, was accompanied by around seven former panchayat samiti office-bearers who also joined the Congress. Party leaders claimed that Acharya’s return would strengthen the organisation in North Bengal and inspire more disgruntled leaders to come back to the fold.Speaking after rejoining, Acharya expressed both nostalgia and disillusionment over his political journey. “I joined Trinamul at the call of Mamata Banerjee and worked hard to build the organisation in my district. I was elected MLA twice. But in 2021, I was denied a ticket — I had expected at least a word of consolation, which never came,” he said.Acharya, however, dismissed suggestions that his return was merely an outcome of being denied candidature. “It’s not about getting or not getting a ticket. But I am also human — I felt hurt,” he remarked.A veteran of North Bengal politics, Acharya began his career in the Congress, later joining Trinamul during the party’s expansion phase. He was elected from Itahar constituency in both 2011 and 2016. After being dropped from the Trinamul list in 2021, he joined the BJP in the presence of state party president Sukanta Majumdar, though he remained largely inactive in the saffron camp.With his return, Congress leaders hope to revive the party’s organisational base in North Dinajpur, where it once held considerable influence.
Opposition should stop making statements until report comes”: Shahnawaz Hussain condemns Delhi blastents until a report comes.”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday condemned the Delhi’s Red Fort blast that killed at least eight and injured several, and called it “deeply saddening” and urged the Opposition to refrain from making early statements until an official report is released. Hussain said, “The incident near Red Fort in Delhi is deeply saddening. All those involved in this will not be spared. Police and security agencies are investigating all angles. The Home Minister has visited the spot, and the injured are being taken care of. All efforts are being made to find out the reason behind this.” He further urged political parties to exercise restraint, saying, “The Opposition should stop making statements until a report comes.” Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a high-level security review meeting at his residence to assess the situation following the deadly blast in Delhi that killed eight people and injured several others on Monday evening. The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sadanand Vasant Date, and Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha. Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat joined the meeting virtually. Sources said the review focused on the progress of the investigation into the explosion that occurred around 7 pm on Monday near the Red Fort metro station, as well as on a possible link with the recent seizure of a huge cache of explosives from Faridabad. Following the explosion, Shah directed a multi-agency investigation involving the NIA, National Security Guard (NSG), Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and Delhi Police to determine the cause, nature, and source of the explosives. A team from the FSL and the NIA revisited the blast site on Tuesday morning to collect additional forensic evidence. The NIA is currently assisting the Delhi Police in the investigation. Officials suspect the Delhi blast and the Faridabad recovery may be part of a larger terror network operating across state lines.
“Bihar CM Nitish Kumar a ‘necessity’ for state, is also case study in political longevity”: Chirag Paswan
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Monday described Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a “necessity” for the state, calling him a case study in political longevity despite challenges. Paswan said, “As a Political Science student, I would say that Nitish ji is a necessity, and I am saying this in a positive way. When I say that I am a student of politics, this is another case study. It would be very useful for my future if I could understand how you have remained in power for two decades despite all the highs and lows. You know, anti-incumbency is not seen against him today.”The Union Minister asserted that there is no anti-incumbency wave against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, attributing it to welfare schemes and public empathy towards the veteran leader’s health.”There is no anti-incumbency. I am saying this very honestly. I am saying this because, in 2020, I experienced that there were still complaints–this didn’t happen, that didn’t happen. But either because of welfare schemes or because of targeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ji personally… even the memes that were made. I mean, as far as his health is concerned, if you talk about the health of an elderly person, then we connect emotionally with them, just like when there is an elderly person in our family. In this way, the more people target him by saying he is in a state of unconsciousness, the more I see people connect with him. People say, look, he is fighting even then–and which is true also,” he added. Paswan further contrasted CM Nitish Kumar’s campaign energy with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, questioning the latter’s fitness and alertness. “When Tejashwi did not even leave the house and completed the negotiations, I saw that Chief Minister Nitish was busy campaigning. So now you tell me who is more fit and more alert health-wise,” he said. Chirag Paswan expressed that his relations with Nitish Kumar are excellent, highlighting that Kumar visited his home on Chhath to partake in Kharna Prasad. Paswan emphasised that such a gesture signifies positive ties, stating that if the relationship were not good, Kumar wouldn’t have joined him for the occasion. “Our relations are very good. He came to my house on the day of Chhath to eat Kharna Prasad. If the relations were not good, then why would he come to eat Kharna Prasad? And if he comes, if he wants to give the message, then it means that the relations are good,” he said. Chirag said he and the Bihar CM made sincere efforts to act as a unifying force and held prolonged closed-door discussions. He described the CM as calm, composed, a man of few words but strong in expression, and one who clearly conveyed his points. “So I and the Chief Minister made an honest effort to become a cementing force. We gave each other some time. We had long discussions in a closed room. He is calm and composed. He is a man of few words, yet his words are very strong. He communicated his message very clearly. He is much older than me in age. And my values don’t say that I should give an answer or argue with them,” he said. In the second phase of the 2025 assembly polls, the NDA will face a major challenge in maintaining its dominance, particularly in its northern Bihar strongholds, including East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, and Sitamarhi districts, where the ruling alliance currently holds sway over 30 assembly seats. The phase will also decide the fate of 12 ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s cabinet. Among them are JD(U) leaders Vijendra Yadav (contesting from Supaul assembly constituency), Lesi Singh (Dhamdaha), Jayant Kushwaha (Amarpur), Sumit Singh (Chakai), Mohammad Jama Khan (Chainpur), and Sheela Mandal (Phoolparas). Key ministers from the BJP in the fray include Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Renu Devi (Bettiah), Vijay Kumar Mandal (Sikati), Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur), Neeraj Bablu (Chhatapur), and Krishnanandan Paswan (Harsiddhi).
Raas Purnima Festival at ISKCON Mayapur from November 4 to 6, 2025
The world-famous ISKCON Mayapur Temple is all set to celebrate its traditional Raas Purnima festival with great spiritual fervor and grandeur from November 4 (Tuesday) to November 6 (Thursday), 2025. The three-day-long festival will be held with full religious sanctity and adherence to Vaishnavite rituals and traditions. According to Rasik Gauranga Das, Public Relations Officer of ISKCON Mayapur, eminent scholars and devotees from India and abroad will deliver discourses on the significance and spiritual essence of Raas Leela in multiple languages. The entire temple complex will be illuminated with dazzling lights, while security measures will be strengthened to ensure the safety of pilgrims and visitors. Special arrangements will also be made for the comfort and convenience of thousands of devotees expected to arrive from across the globe. “O mankind, come to Mayapur to witness the traditional Raas Purnima festival and make your life blessed. Raas Leela is not a human pastime but a divine revelation. We welcome you all to Mayapur to experience it,” said Rasik Gauranga Das in his invitation message. In the Vaishnavite tradition, the Raas festival (Raas Utsav) celebrates the divine love of Lord Krishna and Radha along with the Gopis. Scriptures describe Raas as the eternal union of the soul with the Supreme Being. References to both Sharad Raas and Basant Raas are found in ancient texts, symbolizing spiritual bliss and divine union. It is believed that the word ‘Raas’ originates from ‘Rasa’, meaning essence or spiritual delight. Also known as Kartik Purnima, the festival marks one of the most sacred full-moon days in the Hindu calendar, and in Mayapur, it transforms into a mesmerizing celebration of devotion, light, and divine love.
CEO office asks for report of BLO after Suvendu Adhikari’s complaint
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal has sought a detailed report regarding allegations that a Trinamool Congress functionary was included in the list of booth-level officers (BLOs) under the Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district. According to sources in the CEO’s office, the report was sought after Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, drew the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the alleged inclusion of ruling party office bearers in the BLO lists. Adhikari cited the case of Diamond Harbour as an example, claiming that the integrity of the electoral process could be compromised if politically affiliated individuals were appointed to such positions. As per information provided by Adhikari, the officer in question, Md. Alauddin Molla, has been named as a BLO in the Diamond Harbour constituency. He alleged that Molla is an area president of the Trinamool Congress and that his wife, Liala Bibi, serves as an elected Trinamool panchayat member from Block No. 2 of Diamond Harbour. Following the complaint, West Bengal CEO Ariz Aftab Agarwal sought a comprehensive report from the District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas, who also serves as the District Election Officer, to verify the allegations and ascertain whether due procedure was followed in Molla’s appointment as a BLO. Adhikari, speaking yesterday, warned that allowing politically linked individuals to function as booth-level officers could open avenues for manipulation of the electoral process. He urged the Election Commission to intervene and ensure neutrality and transparency while appointing field-level electoral personnel. The selection of BLOs in West Bengal has been contentious in recent months. Earlier, allegations surfaced that contractual government employees and para-teachers were being appointed as BLOs, despite the Election Commission’s guideline specifying that only permanent state government employees and regular teachers in state-run schools should be considered for such roles. Concerns have also been raised over the appointment of electoral registration officers (EROs). The ECI mandates that only officers from the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre—such as sub-divisional officers, sub-divisional magistrates, or rural development officers—should serve as EROs.
SI raped me, MP pressured me to falsify medical reports of accused in police cases, says Maha doctor in 4-page suicide note
A 26-year-old female doctor who allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara district, left behind a detailed four page suicide note apart from the inked note on the palm of her hand, stating that a police officer raped her four times and exerted pressure on her to issue fake fitness certificates of accused in police cases. It has now emerged in her note that she was allegedly under pressure not only from police officials but even from a Member of Parliament (MP) and his personal assistants. The woman doctor, who worked as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Satara, also wrote in the note on her palm of her hand that she had been raped four times by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and was subjected to mental and physical abuse for over five months. The woman doctor, who hails from Beed district, had been serving in the hospital for 23 months and was just a month away from completing her bond period for service in a rural area, when she took the extreme step out of frustration. In her four-page suicide note, she wrote that police officers pressured her into issuing fake fitness certificates for accused, many of whom would not even be brought in for a medical examination. When she refused to comply, she would be harassed by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and others, she added in her note. “The reason for my death is Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne who raped me and Prashant Bankar who tortured me mentally and physically for 4 months,” she said. Gopal Badne is a police officer, while Prashant Bankar is the son of the landlord in the house where the doctor lived. She had complained 21 times to various authorities, but no action was taken against her tormentors. Recounting a particular instance in her note, the doctor said she had refused to issue a certificate and two personal assistants of an MP had come to the hospital and made her speak to him over the phone. She stated in her note that during that conversation the MP had threatened her indirectly. Her cousin also made similar allegations about the doctor being made to falsify medical certificates. “She had raised complaints on two to three occasions. Despite writing a letter to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), no action was taken,” he told media persons. He further added, “In the letter, she asked that if anything happened to her, who would be responsible for it? She also flagged the lack of security at the hospital premises, but nothing happened. She also called the DSP, who said he would call her back, but no one took any action.” A case has been registered against both the accused Badne and Bankar under charges of rape and abetment to suicide, and the police officer has been suspended especially after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took cognisance of the case and directed the Satara Superintendent of Police to take strict action against the accused. “We are investigating the matter on the basis of evidence gathered so far. A case has been lodged in Satara district. The police officer involved in the case has been suspended,” said Sunil Phulari, Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur division). The Opposition has slammed the Maharashtra government accusing it of shielding the police officers.The Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) stated that in this case the protector has become the predator.The Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “The duty of the police is to protect, but if they themselves are exploiting a female doctor, how will justice be served? Why was no action taken when this girl had previously lodged a complaint? The Mahayuti government repeatedly shields the police, which is leading to an increase in police atrocities.” He further stated, “Merely ordering an enquiry in this case is not enough. The police officers allegedly responsible for the woman doctor taking such an extreme step should be sacked from their jobs, otherwise, they could influence the investigation. Why was her earlier complaint not taken seriously? Those who ignored it and those who shielded these police officers should face action. Until action is taken against the police, police atrocities will not be curbed.” Former Leader of Opposition in the state council and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve slammed the state government while condemning the incident.“The accused in the Phaltan suicide case flee, and then the Chief Minister orders “strict” action. The suicide of a daughter from Marathwada who has been struggling since birth to move forward is indicative of the protector becoming the predator. A woman who has taken a vow of public service has to endure such mental harassment and meets such an unfortunate end. Our demand is that the government should form an independent enquiry committee consisting of officers from outside Satara district to conduct a thorough investigation into this,” he said.
Under Nitish Kumar, NDA will break all electoral records in Bihar: PM at Samastipur rally
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that the “NDA under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar” will break all previous electoral records in the Bihar Assembly polls, while taking a swipe at the opposition INDIA bloc, which he said was led by “people out on bail”. Addressing his maiden election rally in the poll-bound state, the PM asked the crowds to switch on the lights of their mobile phones, and in a dig at the RJD, said, “When all people have access to such modern gadgets, there is no need for the lantern”. Showering praise on Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U) and seeks a fifth consecutive term in office, Modi alleged, “He came to power in 2005, but nearly a decade of his tenure was hampered by a hostile Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, which was constantly blackmailed by the RJD that it would withdraw support if cooperation was extended to the NDA government in Bihar.” The PM added, “The central assistance extended to Bihar in the last 11 years is three times what the state had received from the previous government. The state has turned the corner. It is now exporting fish, a far cry from the days when it was dependent on other states for its own needs. Makhana, which is a famous produce of Bihar, has access to markets far and wide”. “Bihar is now an attractive investment destination. I foresee a future in which every district will be teeming with startups of local youths”, the PM added. “All this would not have been possible had there been ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar. Don’t you remember that a former PM had said that of every rupee spent by the government, only 15 paise reached people. The money used to be devoured by a blood-stained hand (khooni panja)”, said Modi, in an obvious reference to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the poll symbol of Congress, the RJD’s alliance partner. “Bihar will keep the ‘jungle raj’ at bay and vote for good governance. ‘Nayee raftar se chalega Bihar, phir jab aayegi NDA sarkar’ (Bihar’s growth will speed up once NDA returns to power). RJD and Congress indulged in scams, their leaders are out on bail, and now they are trying to steal the ‘Jannayak’ title of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur,” Modi said. “Bihar is the land of a genius like Aryabhatta. Its people cannot repose their trust in the RJD-Congress combine, which had destroyed the rule of law. Kidnapping and extortion had flourished like a business. The worst sufferers of ‘jungle raj’ were our mothers and sisters and those from the weaker sections”, alleged Modi. “Also, under the RJD rule, a dozen-and-a-half districts of Bihar were infested with Maoist insurgency. Hundreds of people were murdered, and people were afraid of stepping out of their homes. When I came to power in 2014, I pledged to bring Maoism to an end. With utmost humility and satisfaction, I can say that we have broken the spine of Maoism. Soon, the country will be free of the menace. This is Modi’s guarantee”, the PM said. Modi also said, “In the last assembly polls in Gujarat, where the party has been in power for 30 years, all previous records were broken. Similar was the case in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Haryana. I am confident that in Bihar, too, under Nitish Kumar, the NDA will break all previous records,” he said. In an apparent dig at INDIA bloc chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav, who, along with father Lalu Prasad, the RJD president, is named in the land for jobs scam, the PM said, “The people of Bihar cannot repose their trust in people who are out on bail (zamaanat par chhute hue log)”.
This is not a ‘gathbandhan’ but a ‘thugbandhan’: Union Minister Giriraj Singh
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday called Mahagathbandhan “thugbandhan”, hours after the opposition alliance announced RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial face for the Bihar assembly polls to be held on November 6 and November 11.”This is not astonishing anymore. Lalu Yadav has very adamantly announced his son as the CM candidate. This is not a ‘gathbandhan’ but a ‘thugbandhan’… Nitish Kumar is the NDA’s CM face,” Singh said.This announcement was made at a joint press conference of the Mahagathbandhan, where senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot stated that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the assembly poll.”He is a young person. He has a long future and the public will support him,” Gehlot said.Gehlot said that people of Bihar want change as they struggle with multiple issues, including unemployment. He alleged that the way the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the Centre is operating is a “threat to democracy”.”It is obvious to get worried about the condition of the country and the state. The situation is serious. The way the NDA government operates is a threat to democracy. There is polarisation. Nobody knows in which direction the country is heading. If you criticise, you are sent to jail – it doesn’t matter if you are a journalist or activist. It is our responsibility to keep in mind what the country wants. The country is watching Bihar. The issue of unemployment remains. People want change,” he said.The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan.The results will be declared on November 14.
