NEW DELHI: Amit Shah's pre-poll boast - "We will win more than 160 seats... It can be 180 also" - sounded-like a typical campaign bravado, the verdict proved otherwise. The NDA did not just meet expectations. It blew past them, finishing at 202 seats. With this sweeping mandate, one storyline stood above all: the BJP emerged as the single largest party in Bihar, securing 89 seats - its highest tally ever in the state assembly. This rise has taken decades to shape. For years, Bihar was defined by the dominance of socialist and Mandal-era forces led by leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and later Nitish Kumar. The BJP, despite expanding nationally, had little organic ground in the state. It lacked historical roots, caste-led influence and a natural voter identity in a state where politic

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