Verdict redraws Bihar s power equations

A wave of decisive mandates, many with margins exceeding 50,000 votes, has strengthened the NDA, especially the BJP and the JD(U), while leaving the RJD to defend shrinking territory and explain significant defeats of top leaders. In constituency after constituency, NDA leaders and high-profile debutants pulled ahead early and widened their leads. The BJP’s most formidable showing came from Samrat Choudhary, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and a key OBC face of the party. His sweeping victory in Tarapur, by 45,843 votes, reaffirmed his expanding clout within the NDA. With 1,22,480 votes, Choudhary’s performance cements his position as one of the most influential leaders shaping the party’s trajectory in Bihar. His colleague and fellow Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha added to the party’s strength map by winning Lakhisarai with 24,940 votes, backed by a solid 1,22,408 votes polled. Sinha’s win signals that his command over the constituency remains intact, despite the fierce challenge posed by the Opposition. The BJP paired such senior victories with the rise of compelling new entrants. Maithili Thakur, a cultural icon and first-time candidate, clinched Alinagar by 11,730 votes, showing that the party’s strategy of fielding fresh faces resonated powerfully with youth and first-time voters. In Siwan, Bihar’s Health Minister Mangal Pandey delivered one of the RJD’s most stinging defeats by ousting Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary by 9,370 votes. Given Chaudhary’s long legislative presence, the loss marks a symbolic collapse of the RJD’s hold in a sensitive political zone. The BJP’s winning streak extended across the State: Shreyasi Singh dominated Jamui with a margin of 54,498; Nitin Nabin protected urban BJP turf in Bankipur by 51,936 votes; and Nitish Mishra triumphed in Jhanjharpur with 54,849 votes. The successes of Jibesh Kumar in Jale, Prem Kumar in Gaya Town, and Renu Devi in Bettiah underscored the party’s rural-urban equilibrium and its well-distributed leadership. The JD(U) matched the BJP stride for stride, powered by veteran anchors who ensured stability in the party’s core belts. Leading the pack was Kaladhar Prasad Mandal, who delivered the single largest winning margin of these elections: 73,572 votes in Rupauli. In Gopalpur, seasoned JD(U) leader Shailesh Kumar (Bulo Mandal) captured 1,08,630 votes and won with a margin of 58,135, reinforcing the party’s dominance in Extremely Backward Class pockets. Senior minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, handling key portfolios including Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs in the Bihar Government, secured Sarairanjan with a margin of 20,798 votes. Minister Shravon Kumar protected Nalanda with 33,008 votes, a seat central to JD(U)’s political identity. Other major JD(U) gains included Kaushal Kishore in Rajgir (margin 55,428), Sheela Kumari in Phulparas, Leshi Singh in Dhamdaha, Maheshwar Hazari in Kalyanpur, and Aniruddha Prasad Yadav in Nirmali. The much-watched battle of Mokama went to Anant Singh, who defeated RJD’s Veena Devi by 28,206 votes, delivering yet another blow to the RJD’s senior ranks. For the RJD, the election was a mixed ledger tilted sharply toward disappointment. While Tejashwi Yadav held Raghopur with a margin of 14,532 votes, the reduced gap from his 2020 margin signalled weakened momentum. The losses of leaders like Awadh Bihari Chaudhary and Veena Devi further deepened the party’s concerns. A few bright spots offered some consolation. First-time candidate Osama Shahab claimed Raghunathpur with 9,248 votes, and former minister Alok Kumar Mehta held on to Ujiarpur by 16,283 votes. Taken together, Bihar’s 2025 verdict is more than a numerical win. It is a recalibration of political strength, fortifying the NDA’s pillars, expanding its base with new entrants, and leaving the RJD facing a critical test of strategy and leadership renewal.