The Bihar legislative assembly election, 2010 was held in six phases over a period of one month starting from 21 October until 20 November in all 243 constituencies of Bihar, India. The election is conducted to elect the government in Bihar for a five-year term. The votes were scheduled to be counted on 24 November.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar won a landslide victory securing 206 of the 245 seats, with the JD(U) winning 115 and the BJP winning 91. The opposition alliance led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal was decimated as it won only 25 seats with the Rashtriya Janata Dal winning just 22, its worst performance in a Bihar legislative assembly election. The Indian National Congress registered its worst performance in the state, winning only 4 seats. No opposition party had enough seats (10% or more) to appoint a leader of opposition in the assembly.

Background The Janata Dal (United) was the largest party in the Bihar legislative assembly after the 2005 election, and ruled along with the Bharatiya Janata Party as part of the National Democratic Alliance. The incumbent chief minister was Nitish Kumar.

This election also followed a surprise defeat by the once ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal in the 2009 Indian general election.

Schedule Phase Date No of assembly constituencies I 21 October 47 II 24 October 45 III 28 October 48 IV 1 November 42 V 9 November 35 VI 20 November 26 Counting 24 November 243 Source: Election Commission of India

Phase I 47 seats were voted for. The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 17:00: Harlakhi, Benipatti, Khajauli, Babubarhi, Bisfi, Madhubani, Rajnagar (SC), Jhanjharpur, Phulparas, Laukaha, Nirmali, Pipra, Supaul, Triveniganj (SC), Chhatapur, Narpatganj, Raniganj (SC), Forbesganj, Araria, Jokihat, Sikti, Bahadurganj, Thakurganj, Kishanganj, Kochadhaman, Amour, Baisi, Kasba, Banmankhi (SC), Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia, Katihar, Kadwa, Balrampur, Pranpur, Manihari (ST), Barari, Korha (SC), Alamnagar, Bihariganj, Singheshwar (SC), Madhepura, Sonbarsha (SC), Saharsa

The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 15:00: Simri, Bakhtiarpur, Mahishi

Phase II 45 seats were voted for. The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 17:00: Sheohar, Riga, Bathnaha (SC), Parihar, Sursand, Bajpatti, Sitamarhi, Runnisaidpur, Belsand, Kusheshwar Asthan (SC), Gaura Bauram, Benipur, Alinagar, Darbhanga Rural, Darbhanga, Hayaghat, Bahadurpur, Keoti, Jale, Gaighat, Aurai, Bochaha (SC), sakra (SC), Kurhani, Muzaffarpur, Kanti, Baruraj, Kalyanpur (SC), Warisnagar, Samastipur, Ujiarpur, Morwa, Sarairanjan, Mohiuddinnagar, Bibhutipur, Rosera (SC), Hasanpur, Narkatia, Pipra, Madhuban, Chiraia, Dhaka

The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 15:00:

Minapur, Paroo, Sahebgan

Arun Singh will Win Dhaka legislative assembly election in 2015

Phase III 48 seats were voted for. The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 17:00: Narkatiaganj, Bagaha, Lauriya, Nautan, Chanpatia, Bettiah, Sikta, Raxaul, Sugauli, Harsidhi (SC), Govindganj, Kesaria, Kalyanpur, Motihari, Baikunthpur, Barauli, Gopalganj, Shahpur Patti, Kuchaikote, Bhorey (SC), Hathua, Siwan, Ziradei, Darauli (SC), Raghunathpur, Daraundha, Barharia, Goriakothi, Maharajganj, Ekma, Manjhi, Baniapur, Taraiya, Marhaura, Chapra, Garkha (SC), Amnour, Parsa, Sonepur, Hajipur, Lalganj, Vaishali, Mahua, Raja Pakar (SC), Mahnar The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 15:00: Valmiki Nagar, Ramnagar (SC), Raghopur, Patepur (SC)

Phase IV 42 seats were voted for. The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 17:00: Cheria Bariarpur, Bachhwara, Teghra, Matihani, Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai, Bakhri (SC), Khagaria, Beldaur, Parbatta, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti (SC), Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur, Sultanganj, Nathnagar, Mokama, Barh, Bakhtiarpur, Digha, Bankipur, Kumhrar, Patna Sahib, Fatuha, Danapur, Maner, Amarpur, Dhauraiya (SC), Banka

The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 15:30: Alauli (SC), Suryagarha, Tarapur, Jamalpur, Katoria (ST), Belhar, Sikandra (SC), Jamui, Jhajha, Chakai

The Banka Lok Sabha seat was also chosen in a by-election following the death of Digvijay Singh.

Phase V 35 seats were voted for. The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 17:00: Sandesh, Barhara, Arrah, Agiaon (SC), Tarari, Jagdishpur, Shahpur, Hisua, Nawada, Warsaliganj, Gaya Town, Belaganj, Atri, Wazirganj, Sheikhpura, Barbigha, Asthawan, Biharsharif, Rajgir (SC), Islampur, Hilsa, Nalanda, Harnaut,

The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 15:00: Rajauli (SC), Gobindpur, Arwal, Kurtha, Jehanabad, Ghosi, Makhdumpur (SC), Bodh Gaya (SC), Phulwari (SC), Masaurhi (SC), Paliganj, Bikram

Phase VI 26 seats were voted for. The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 17:00: Brahampur, Buxar, Dumraon, Rajpur (SC), Ramgarh, Mohania (SC), Kargahar, Nokha, Obra, Aurangabad

The following constituencies would vote from 7:00 to 15:00: Bhabua, Chainpur, Chenari (SC), Sasaram, Dinara, Dehri, Karakat, Goh, Nabinagar, Kutumba (SC), Rafiganj, Gurua, Sherghati, Imamganj (SC), Barachatti (SC), Tikari

Parties National Democratic Alliance (NDA)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Janata Dal (United) (JDU)

RJD/LJP alliance

Rashtriya Janata Dal Lok Janshakti Party

United Progressive Alliance (UPA)

Indian National Congress (INC)

Left Front

Communist Party of India

Others

Janata Dal (Secular)

Candidate issues Some key candidates were the NDA Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary, an RJD leader Shakil Ahmed Khan who was competing with JDU's Vinod Yadav, JDU Chhedi Paswan against RJD's Niranjan Ram, a former Union minister Kanti Singh against the BJP incumbent Rameshwar Prasad, Awadesh Narain Singh against RJD's Iliyas Hussain and Anil Kumar against RJD's Bagi Kumar Verma.

The final round's important race was that of a senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh's son Sudhakar Singh, who was a candidate for the BJP against the RJD's Ambika Yadav. Singh campaigned against his son saying: "Sudhakar is my biological son but Ambika is my political heir." The JDU's Mahabali Singh's son Dharmendra also contested for the opposition RJD. Other family affairs were the JDU's Sushil Singh's older brother Sunil Singh, who was competing for the RJD. Parties and Alliance National Democratic Alliance PartyFlagSymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contestedJanata Dal (United)Nitish Kumar141Bharatiya Janata PartySushil Kumar Modi102

RJD+ PartyFlagSymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contestedRashtriya Janata DalLalu Prasad Yadav168Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas Paswan75

United Progressive Alliance PartyFlagSymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contestedIndian National CongressMehboob Ali Kaiser243

List of Candidates