CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ kozhikode l saturday l november 15, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION VOTE SWING BJP saw positive swing of 0.27% votes vis-a-vis 2020; for JDU, it was 3.58%. Vote share of Chirag’s party dropped by 0.82% BJP :89 +15 JDU :85 +42 LJP(Rv) :19 +18 Oth :9 +5 NDA: 202 MGB: 32 RJD : 25 -50 CONG : 06 -13 Left : 03 -14 Oth : 1 VOTE SWING RJD lost 50 seats while registering a negative vote swing of -0.6%; Cong lost -0.88% votes as compared to 2022; Left’s share dipped by -0.4% The Congress party has become ‘Muslimleegi Seat difference compared to 2020 Bihar polls Seat difference compared to 2020 Bihar polls Maowadi Congress’ or TOTAL SEATS: 243 Majority: 122 MMC. It will witness NDA gets three-fourths majority; BJP single-largest party with about 90% strike rate; JD(U) close behind; a big split soon NiMo LANDSLIDE bickering INDIA bloc swept away; suffers heavy drubbing; second-worst performance by Congress — Narendra Modi, Prime minister The NDA has achieved a massive majority by demonstrating complete unity. I thank all NDA partners. Bihar will progress even further and will be included in the category of the most developed states in the country — Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister ramashankar @ Patna T HE ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) scored a victory for ages in Bihar Assembly election on Friday se, curing a commanding three-fourths majority. The NDA bagged 202 seats in the 243 member assembly The RJD‑Con, gress combine was not even close, garnering a meagre 35 seats. The drubbing has pushed the alliance to the periphery of Bihar’s political landscape. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 89 seats, while JD(U) won 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5, and RLM 4. The opposition Mahagathbandhan suffered a crushing defeat: RJD won 25 seats, Congress 6, CPI(ML) 2, and CPM 1. The BJP and JD(U) contested 101 seats each, while LJP(RV) fielded candidates in 28. This year’s polls recorded a historic voter turnout of 66.91%—the highest since 1951. Women voters led with 71.6% participation, outpacing men (62.8%). Historically rising turnout has triggered government change , thrice in Bihar: 1967 (+7%, Congress ousted), 1980 (+6.8%), and 1990 (+5.7%, Congress again removed). But in 2025, the NDA defied that trend, delivering a blow to the Mahagathbandhan despite no significant anti-incumbency against Nitish Kumar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reinforced his political relevance through bold policies, including women’s reservation laws and welfare schemes for economically backward classes (EBCs). Despite concerns over age and health, Nitish passed the test of endurance and public trust. JD(U) retained strong support among Kurmi-Kushwaha communities, EBCs, women, and Dalits. Women voters were decisively consolidated via initiatives like Mahila Rojgar Yojana. Unlike 2020, when Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV) dented JD(U)’s vote share, the 2025 polls saw complete NDA cohesion. The alliance fought united, with LJP(RV) fully aligned with BJP and JD(U). Nitish’s enduring popularity among women, coupled with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated praise for their “jodi”, proved decisive. The NDA’s development narrative, unity, and targeted welfare outreach overwhelmed the opposition, marking a new era of dominance in Bihar politics. “The people of Bihar, with this massive victory and their unshakable confidence, have taken the state by storm,” PM Narendra Modi told jubilant supporters in Delhi. He said Bihar had replicated the old “communal M‑Y (Muslim-Yadav) formula” of Jungle Raj with a new “Mahila‑Yuva” partnership for growth. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, set to take oath for a record 10th time, thanked voters for the “landslide” verdict, attributing it to trust in his governance and the Centre’s support. His women‑centric schemes, particularly the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, which credited `10,000 to the accounts of over a crore women, coupled with pension hikes and free power, proved decisive. Terming the Bihar poll results a “victory of every Bihari”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the overwhelming mandate for the NDA is people’s stamp of approval on its work for development, women’s safety and the welfare of the poor. BJP president J P Nadda hailed NDA’s victory in Bihar polls as “historic”. express read MVD tightens rules for student tours T’Puram: The motor vehicles department (MVD) has issued fresh directions to schools and colleges to ensure the safety of students during educational tours. The guidelines mandate that authorities inform the Regional Transport Office at least one week in advance before undertaking any trip. P2 Clashes in IUML meets over seat allocation Malappuram: Disagreements over seat allocation have triggered a series of clashes across Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) committees in Malappuram, with three separate meetings disrupted this week. P4 This result is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in a poll that was not fair from the beginning. The Congress and the INDIA bloc will review this result and make efforts to save democracy even more effective — Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Was it an election in Bihar as the outcome shows? No joblessness? Pain of migration fiction? Health and education doesn’t matter? Issues raised by @yadavtejashwi would remain core Bihari concern forever JD(U) members pose alongside a flex board of Nitish Kumar in Patna on Friday | PTI PM Narendra Modi waves at supporters at BJP headquarters in New Delhi | Shekhar yadav 10th term gift to man of the moment, Nitish Modi attributes it to new M-Y — Mahila and Youth ramashankar @ Patna ra j esh kumar thakur @ New Delhi WHEN the dust settles after Bihar’s high-voltage election, a singular truth will remain etched on the political map of the state: Nitish Kumar, the war veteran, still reigns supreme. At 74, the Janata Dal (United) chief is poised to take oath as chief minister for an unprecedented tenth time, steering the National Democratic Alliance to a gargantuan victory . Few leaders in modern India embody political survival like Nitish. Once taunted for shifting alliances at whim, Kumar has defied labels and fatigue alike, remaking himself to stay in tune with the state’s political nous. His Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana was a masterstroke, transferring `10,000 each to 1.4 crore women before the polls. The strategy clicked—women voters outnumbered men by 8.8%, sealing the NDA’s fate across even the Muslimmajority Seemanchal belt. Nitish’s campaign, built on welfare and welfare again, left little room for anti-incumbency Pensions up, electricity free up to 125 . units, and the promise of one crore new jobs—all wrapped in the familiar pledges of development and dignity “People have bha. rosa (faith) in Modi and Nitish,” said BJP’s Vinod Tawade. Outside the JD(U) office, one banner makes the mood unmistakable: “Tiger abhi zinda hai” (the tiger lives on.) PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday termed the NDA win in Bihar as a vote for pro-people governance and said BJP’s victory march will follow the flow of Ganga from Bihar to Bengal. Addressing workers at BJP headquarters in New Delhi in the evening, PM Modi said the mandate reflects public endorsement of development-focused governance, leaving no room for divisive strategies. He credited Bihar’s youth for voting decisively for the NDA. In a scathing attack on the Congress— which was reduced to its worst-ever tally — Modi accused the party of self-destruction through appeasement. Interestingly he predicted an imminent split in the Congress, , warning allies that “it ruins partners”, citing the RJD’s fate. Mocking Rahul Gandhi’s campaign antics, Modi said, “Some ‘naamdars’ are drowning themselves and their allies.” Opening his address with an invocation, “Jai Chhathi Maiya,” he condemned Congress’s alleged insult to the Bihari festival Chatth. Honouring Mithilanchal’s strong mandate for BJP, he wore a Mithila-painted gamchha (towel) and was garlanded with makhana. The PM unveiled a new “M-Y” formula—Mahila and Youth, and called the verdict a democratic triumph, assuring rapid progress under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. KSRTC rolls out 72 ‘temple-connect’ packages for Sabarimala pilgrims K rishna K umar K E @ Kochi Pilgrims embarking on spiritual journey to the Sabarimala hill shrine this pilgrimage season have an enriched experience awaiting them, thanks to the novel initiative of the KSRTC Budget Tourism Cell (BTC). The corporation has rolled out an extensive set of 72 ‘temple-connect’ packages for the mandala season, designed to allow devotees to offer prayers at major temples en route, weaving together a more holistic pilgrimage circuit. The initiative is being carried out in association with the Travancore Devaswom Board. “We have introduced 72 char- Representational pic tered packages, involving 1,600 trips, for the first phase of the pilgrimage season. More trips will be conducted depending on the demand. The temple-connect packages, especially those from northern parts, will be of two-day trips, while those from comparatively nearby places like Alappuzha and Pathan- amthitta will be one-day services,” a senior BTC official told TNIE. The seats of a BTC bus can be booked by a single group or multiple groups. A chartered bus will ply if 90% of the seats are booked. A standout offering among the 72 packages is the ‘ yyappa A Darsanam’ pilgrimage circuit, which connects four historically and mythologically significant temples — Kulathupuzha Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Aryankavu Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Achankovil Sree Dharma Sastha Temple and Pandalam Valiya Koyikkal Sree Dharma Sastha Temple — associated with the life of Lord ● More on P7 Ayyappa. Data privacy Rules to protect your personal data notified R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Friday notified rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, marking the full operationalisation of India’s first digital privacy law. The rules will be rolled out in three phases. Some basic parts of the Act— rules for setting up the Data Protection Board and certain powers and proce- dures—will start on the day the notification is published. In the second phase, one year after publication, two provisions relating to withdrawing consent and a special obligation for large data-handling organisations will begin. The main sections — rules on how companies can collect and use personal data, how consent must be taken, rights of individuals, rules for children’s data, cross-border data trans- fers, data-breach duties, etc— will start after 18 months. Under the DPDP rules, companies must be able to show, not just claim, how call records, network logs and subscriber data are collected, retained, deleted and secured—with breach response, audit trails and vendor oversight all on the record. The phased rollout will give companies time to adjust their systems, say industry experts. Indian enterprises now have a clear roadmap on personal data-processing activities, said Murali Rao, Partner and Leader, Cybersecurity Consulting, at EY India. — Manoj Kumar Jha, RJD leader big winners Tejashwi Samrat Vijay Sinha Yadav (RJD) Choudhary (BJP) Raghopur (BJP) Tarapur Lakhisarai 14,532 45,843 24,940 top losers Mohd. Tej Pratap Shatrughan Shahnawaz Yadav (JJD) Yadav (RJD) (RJD) Baisi Mahua Chapra 8,456 24,940 2,592 V i c t o r y/ d e f e a t M a r g i n INSIDE Sops to women, BJP’s winning mantra | P9 High Court refuses to defer SIR in state E x p ress N ews S er v i c e @ Kochi Debris of the house demolished by security forces in Quil village in Pulwama, south Kashmir, on Friday | pti Dr Umar Nabi’s house demolished the controlled explosion. The family members were Security forces on Friday taken out of the house beblew up the house of Dr fore the demolition. Umar Nabi, the alleged suiDr Umar, who emerged as cide bomber who drove ex- a key figure in the inter-state plosive laden i20 car that ex- white-collar militant netploded near Red Fort in work, exploded his i20 car Delhi on Monday, killnear Delhi’s Red Fort on ing 13 persons and Monday evening after injuring many . his associates were Sources said Dr detained and security Red Nabi’s house at agencies were zerofort attack Quil village in ing in on him. Pulwama in south This is the second Kashmir was detime this year that semolished in the wee hours curity forces have blown on Friday, adding that the up houses of militants in the demolition was to send a Valley After the April 22 Pa. strong message against mili- halgam terror attack in tants and militancy . which 25 tourists and a local The house was razed to were killed, security forces rubble in a controlled explo- demolished houses of at sion. Some adjacent houses least 10 militants in the suffered minor damage in Kashmir Valley . F AYA Z W A N I @ Srinagar The High Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition filed by the state government seeking to defer the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Kerala till the completion of local body polls. The court pointed out that the petitions concerning SIR in other states are pending before the Supreme Court. While closing the plea, Justice V G Arun said: “Judicial discipline and comity requires this court to refrain from entertaining the petition. Therefore, this writ petition is closed, leaving it open for the state government to move the Supreme Court or approach this court depending on the outcome of the petitions pending before the SC.” The state government said the SC had only requested the jurisdictional High Courts to keep in abeyance/defer the writ proceedings that touch the validity of the SIR of electoral rolls in their respective states. In the instant writ petition, the state is not challenging the validity of the SIR and the plea is only to defer the process till the elections to the local bodies are complete, it said. The HC said it will be inappropriate for this court to entertain the writ petition by interpreting the interim order of the Supreme Court.