New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has alleged that the Bihar Assembly election results were shaped by “gigantic-scale rigging” and unprecedented misuse of state machinery by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
In a strongly worded communique issued after its Polit Bureau meeting on November 13–14, the CPI(M) said the scale of manipulation surpassed earlier allegations of interference in Maharashtra and Haryana. Although the elections recorded an impressive 67 per cent turnout — including a historic 71.6 per cent participation by women — the party argued that this did not translate into a genuine reflection of public will. Instead, the NDA’s increased seat tally, despite negligible vote share gains compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, was attributed to a “well-orchestrated misuse” of official machinery, massive money power and cadres brought in from outside Bihar.
“A Managed Mandate, Not a Mandate”: CPI(M)
The Polit Bureau accused the BJP-led coalition of using high-octane communal and caste polarisation, spearheaded by the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and amplified by a “compliant corporate media ecosystem.” This “manufactured narrative,” it argued, drowned out livelihood, employment and governance issues raised by the Mahagathbandhan.
The party alleged that the BJP leveraged the bureaucratic apparatus, police networks and local administrators at every stage, citing interference during polling, counting, postal ballots and transmission of results.
The CPI(M) said it would closely examine the role of the Election Commission of India, whose “partisan attitude,” abrupt implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and “opaque conduct” have come under scrutiny.
SIR Process a “Backdoor NRC”
Linking the Bihar experience to the nationwide SIR exercise in 12 states, the party called it the “most far-reaching assault on electoral democracy” since Independence, arguing that stringent documentation demands and the outdated 2002 baseline function as a “backdoor NRC” that will disproportionately impact marginalised communities while enabling the inclusion of “bogus voters.”
Other Concerns and Call for Unity
The CPI(M) said the Bihar verdict is a “wake-up call” requiring stronger opposition unity. It also flagged national issues including the car explosion, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, US pressure on trade and defence, and labour reforms under Shram Shakti Niti.
The party welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and urged India to review ties with Israel. It announced that its Central Committee will next meet in Thiruvananthapuram from January 16–18, 2026. Separately, Prashant Kishor of Jan Suraaj Party alleged that ₹14,000 crore from a World Bank fund was transferred to women during the polls; the JSP failed to win any seat.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
 alleges large-scale rigging, misuse of machinery and ECI bias in the Bihar Assembly polls, calling the verdict a managed mandate and warning of wider threats to electoral democracy.){kind=link}