'Speak to women': Priyanka Chaturvedi's message to Oppn after shocking Bihar loss

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday urged Opposition parties to introspect after the grand alliance's crushing defeat in the Bihar assembly elections, saying any credible alternative to the ruling bloc must include the voices of women.

"Dear Opposition Leaders. Unsolicited advice. Speak to the women of the country. An alternative cannot be without them," she wrote on X, reacting to the scale of the Mahagathbandhan’s loss.

Chaturvedi also shared a post highlighting the record turnout of women voters in the state, adding briefly, "This is the story."

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan suffered one of its worst performances in years, with its tally plunging to 28 seats, down from 110 in 2020. The RJD itself dropped to 24 seats, compared to 75 in the last election.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — comprising the BJP, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) — is heading for a landslide victory, with the BJP leading on 90-plus seats and the JD(U) ahead in 80-plus. Together, the NDA is leading on over 200 seats, while the LJP is expected to win around 20.

Chaturvedi's remark underscores a major undercurrent in Bihar's polls — the decisive participation of women voters. According to Election Commission data, women outnumbered men in turnout in 37 of 38 districts. The state recorded a historic voter turnout of 67.13 per cent, the highest ever in Bihar's electoral history.

Women's participation stood at 71.78 per cent, compared to 62.98 per cent among men. In Supaul, women's turnout exceeded men’s by 20.71 percentage points, with similar gaps recorded in Kishanganj, Madhubani, Gopalganj, Araria, Darbhanga, and Madhepura. Patna was the only district where men outvoted women.