Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: War Rhetoric and Political Wars with Pakistan

Indian politics has finally come to this point where all — from the slogans in election rallies to what military leaders say — has become a part of the election agenda. This time, the battlefield is Bihar — the state which has for long been seen as the “gateway to power in Delhi.”

The Election Commission of India has declared the Bihar Assembly elections to be conducted in two phases, namely November 6 and 11, 2025, and the results on November 14.

Political campaigning has intensified since early October, and as always, the tried and proven narrative floated again — anti-Pakistan hostility and the rhetoric of “national security.”

Kick-starting the BJP’s campaign for elections, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing military men during a military exercise in Bhuj, Gujarat on October 2, announced:

“If Pakistan makes any incorrect move in Sir Creek, India will give a reply which will change both history and geography.”

A day later, on October 3, 2025, the Indian Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, went a step further at a military conference:

“If Pakistan wishes to stay on the map, it will have to stop sponsoring terrorism. The next time, our reaction will be a lot harsher. We will not restrain ourselves — Pakistan will be erased off the map.”

This is not a novel BJP political strategy. Prior to each major election, such drama is likely to be revived. The much-hyped Balakot airstrike of 2019 is a fine example of how “operations relating to national security” were made election campaign slogans. It is the same tactic that is being brought back now for the 2025 Bihar elections, under the flag of “strong leadership of Modi.”

Bihar is famously referred to as the “political powerhouse of India.” The state captures the complexity of the country’s caste system, religious fault lines, and regional variety. The state has 243 Assembly seats and 40 Lok Sabha seats that determine Centre power decisively. Briefly, Bihar is the “kingmaker” of Indian parliamentary politics.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA alliance (comprising RJD, Congress, and other regional parties) managed to win nine seats, forcing the BJP into a coalition arrangement. Now, the 2025 results will indicate how strong — or vulnerable — Modi’s position will be in the lead-up to the 2029 general elections.

This time, the INDIA coalition is targeting inflation, joblessness, and social justice to get the attention of voters. Experts are convinced that as election day nears, the BJP leadership will increase its belligerent rhetoric further. Leaders such as Modi, Amit Shah, and Yogi Adityanath are likely to appeal to anti-Pakistan sentiment to drive national pride, connecting border tensions with “defending the honour of the nation.”

Whether from politicians, diplomats, or generals, no matter how outlandish and provocative the statement, the aim is the same — to kindle nationalism in the breasts of voters.

The Bihar elections in 2025 will, thus, decide not only the fortunes of a single state but also the ideological trajectory of Indian politics:

Will nationalism and Pakistan-bashing ensure victory for the BJP a third time?

Or will the attention of voters shift to actual issues such as inflation, employment, and justice?

We shall know on November 14, 2025.