The Election Commission will announce the dates of Bihar elections today. It is the first major state election to be held amid a worldwide coronovirus crisis.
The 243-member assembly is to be elected in Bihar by 29 November. The election is likely to be held in mid-October this year and in fewer phases.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is leading a coalition with the BJP, will contest for a fourth term in these elections, challenging the RJD's opposition RJD and the Congress, jailed former Chief Minister Lalu Yadav.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance includes Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United, BJP, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha, which recently pulled out of the opposition alliance.
Nitish Kumar has also swapped partners since the 2015 election, which his party fought with the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and Congress, and on his 2013 decision to make Narendra Modi the Prime Ministerial candidate. The relationship with the BJP was ended.
But within two years of the grand alliance, in which Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav came together after 25 years, their relationship soured with Yadav Kumar due to corruption allegations, especially Tejashwi Yadav.
Nitish Kumar resigned, crushed Lalu Yadav and Congress and reclaimed BJP.
In the last three years, Nitish Kumar's alliance with the BJP has not been without problems, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and two top leaders of the ruling party, Home Minister Amit Shah, have made it clear that he will lead the NDA.