Key Points
- Voting on November 6, 2025, across 121 constituencies in 18 districts with 1,314 candidates in the fray
- Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha’s political future at stake
- Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav contests from stronghold Raghopur seat
- 14 state ministers, including Health Minister Mangal Pandey, face electoral test
- Celebrity entrants include Bhojpuri star Khesari Lal Yadav and folk singer Maithili Thakur
- Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party adds new dimension to traditional NDA-INDIA bloc contest
- Campaigning concluded November 4 at 6 PM; results to be announced November 14
Patna: The first phase of Bihar’s high-stakes assembly elections will witness a fierce electoral battle on November 6, with political heavyweights, celebrity candidates, and a new political outfit competing for supremacy across 121 constituencies spanning 18 districts.
Top Leaders Face Decisive Verdict
The electoral fortunes of Bihar’s power elite hang in the balance as both Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Chaudhary (BJP) contesting from Tarapur and Vijay Kumar Sinha from Lakhisarai, seek a mandate from voters. Leader of Opposition and Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav battles from his traditional stronghold Raghopur, while his estranged brother Tej Pratap Yadav contests from Mahua.
Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Narendra Narayan Yadav is in the fray from Alamnagar, making this phase crucial for establishing political dominance ahead of the second phase scheduled for November 11.
Cabinet Ministers in the Electoral Battlefield
Fourteen ministers from the current government face voters in this phase, with several high-profile contests drawing statewide attention. Health Minister Mangal Pandey confronts former Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary in a prestigious battle in Siwan, while Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary seeks re-election from Sarairanjan.
Other ministers testing electoral waters include Prohibition and Excise Minister Ratnesh Sada (Sonbarsa), Revenue Minister Sanjay Sarawagi (Darbhanga), Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni (Bahadurpur), Urban Development Minister Jivesh Kumar (Jale), Panchayati Raj Minister Kedar Prasad Gupta (Kudhni), and Tourism Minister Raju Kumar Singh (Sahibganj).
The list extends to IT Minister Krishna Kumar Mantu (Amanour), Information Minister Maheshwar Hazari (Kalyanpur), Environment Minister Dr. Sunil Kumar (Biharsharif), Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar (Nalanda), Education Minister Sunil Kumar (Bhore), and Road Construction Minister Nitin Naveen (Bankipur).
Party Presidents Stake Prestige
Three state party presidents have entered the electoral arena, transforming their contests into prestige battles. Ruling JDU state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha contests from Mahnar, RLSP state president Madan Chaudhary from Paru, and IIP president Indrajit Prasad Gupta from Saharsa.
Former Ministers Seek Political Comeback
More than a dozen former ministers, both from ruling and opposition camps, are attempting a political resurrection in this phase. Notable among them are Alok Ranjan Jha (Saharsa), Lalit Kumar Yadav (Darbhanga Rural), Israel Mansoori (Kanti), Alok Kumar Mehta (Ujiarpur), Renu Devi (Bihariganj), Prof. Chandrashekhar (Madhepura), Harinarayan Singh (Harnaut), Ramanand Yadav (Fatuha), Shyam Rajak (Phulwari), Raghavendra Pratap Singh (Barhara), Shri Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha (Jagdishpur), and Santosh Kumar Nirala (Rajpur).
Entertainment Icons Turn Electoral Hopefuls
The political landscape has acquired a cinematic flavor with the entry of popular entertainment personalities. Bhojpuri superstar Khesari Lal Yadav, contesting on the RJD ticket from Chhapra, faces BJP’s Chhoti Kumari in a triangular contest complicated by former mayor Rakhi Gupta’s rebellion as an independent candidate. The Vaishya community vote, comprising approximately 30 percent of voters, could prove decisive as both BJP nominees belong to this caste, potentially splitting crucial votes.
Folk singing sensation Maithili Thakur, BJP’s cultural gambit in Alinagar constituency, has promised to rename the constituency “Sitanagar” if elected, tapping into Mithila’s cultural pride and identity politics. The 25-year-old artist faces allegations of being an outsider, but has committed to building a residence in the constituency and campaigning full-time.
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party Emerges as Wild Card
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party has fielded candidates across all 243 constituencies, positioning itself as a third alternative beyond the NDA-INDIA bloc binary. Founded on October 2, 2024, the party emerged from a two-year grassroots movement involving a 3,500-km padyatra across 5,000+ villages. Though Kishor himself isn’t contesting, his party could play spoiler in several constituencies, particularly in Tarapur, where physician Dr. Santosh Kumar Singh challenges Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary.
High-Voltage Campaign Concludes
The campaign trail witnessed unprecedented political mobilization before the mandatory silence period commenced at 6 PM on November 4, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted eight election meetings plus one roadshow in Patna, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed three major rallies and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held five public meetings. BJP President J.P. Nadda led both roadshows and rallies to energize the party machinery.
The opposition countered with equal intensity as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed three rallies, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge campaigned extensively, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held multiple public meetings. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav maintained grueling campaign schedules throughout the final day. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and former Union Minister Smriti Irani also campaigned actively.
High-Stakes Danapur Battle
Former Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav faces a challenging contest in Danapur against Reetlal Yadav, making this one of the most-watched constituencies in the first phase.
Electoral Logistics and Timeline
With 1,314 candidates competing across 121 seats in Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Madhepura, Saharsa, Darbhanga, Khagaria, Munger, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Nalanda, Patna, Bhojpur, and Buxar districts, the Election Commission has deployed comprehensive security arrangements at 45,341 polling stations. Voting hours are 7 AM to 6 PM for most constituencies, with reduced timings (7 AM to 5 PM) at 2,135 sensitive polling booths across six constituencies.
The contest primarily features the NDA coalition (BJP, JD-U, LJP, HAM, RLM) against the Mahagathbandhan alliance (RJD, Congress, VIP, CPI, CPI-ML, CPI-M), with Jan Suraaj Party potentially altering traditional vote equations. The second phase will cover 122 constituencies on November 11, with results for all 243 seats declared on November 14, 2025.
