Tejashwi Leads Bihar CM Race, But Prashant Kishor Surges Ahead of Nitish in Latest Poll

Bihar is expected to hold its Assembly elections in November, and the political temperature in the state is steadily rising. The primary contest is expected between the ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). However, the entry of Prashant Kishor into the fray could make the election far more intriguing.

While the NDA continues to highlight the “jungle raj” of the Lalu-Rabri era, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is sharply attacking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s two-decade-long rule, raising concerns over age, unemployment, and rising crime.

Amidst this backdrop, a fresh C-Voter survey broadcast by Aaj Tak in the third week of June has stirred the political waters even more. According to the poll, Tejashwi Yadav remains the top choice for Chief Minister, with 34.6% of respondents picking him as their first preference. However, this marks a drop of nearly 6 percentage points compared to February, when his support stood at 40.6%. While Tejashwi has maintained a lead across four consecutive surveys since February, the declining trend could be worrying for the RJD-led alliance.

Prashant Kishor Surpasses Nitish Kumar in CM Popularity

Notably, Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj Party, has overtaken Nitish Kumar in the latest rankings. He is now the second-most preferred candidate, with 18.4% of respondents backing him—up from 14.9% in February. His rise signals growing voter interest in his alternative governance model and grassroots outreach.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar, once the undisputed face of governance in Bihar, has slipped to third place, garnering 17.4% support—a slight decline from 18.4% in February, despite a brief uptick earlier in June. Kishor, a strategist-turned-politician, is positioning himself as a credible third front and an alternative to both major blocs.

Other Key Political Figures

• Chirag Paswan, Union Minister and leader of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has also made notable gains over the past four months. His popularity rose from 3.7% in February to 10.6% in early June, though it slightly dipped to 9.9% in the latest round.
• Samrat Choudhary, Deputy CM and BJP leader, seen by some as a generational face within the NDA, is currently in fifth place. His popularity peaked at 12.5% in April, but plummeted to 6.6% in early June, before slightly recovering to 9.6% by the third week.

As Bihar heads into a high-stakes electoral season, the shifting voter preferences suggest a more competitive and dynamic political landscape than in previous years.

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