Patna/New Delhi, October 8, 2025 – Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) senior leader Tejashwi Yadav will contest from two assembly constituencies in the upcoming Bihar elections, sources told NDTV. He will fight from his traditional family bastion Raghopur and strategically important Phulparas in Madhubani district.
Key Points
Strategic seat selection: Phulparas is currently held by Sheela Kumari of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United (JD-U). The seat has been a JD-U stronghold since 2010. Her closest rival in the last election was Congress’s Kripanath Pathak, who lost by approximately 11,000 votes.
Establishing Mithilanchal presence: The choice signals Tejashwi’s intent to establish strong presence in Mithilanchal region, which along with Seemanchal helped the NDA secure victory in 2020. However, the region had overwhelmingly backed the Grand Alliance in 2015, when they won 25 of 30 seats across Darbhanga, Samastipur, and Madhubani.
Raghopur legacy: Tejashwi won from Raghopur in 2015 with over 38,000 votes, defeating BJP’s Satish Kumar. The constituency was previously represented by his parents—former Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi—making it the family’s traditional turf.
High-stakes Raghopur battle: Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has indicated Raghopur as one of his potential constituencies for his Jan Suraj Party debut. His other choice is Kargahar in Rohtas district. A Kishor-Tejashwi face-off would create a high-profile prestige battle.
2020 performance backdrop: RJD emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats in 2020. The Opposition Grand Alliance secured 110 seats against NDA’s 122 in the 243-member assembly, losing several seats by narrow margins—sometimes under 1,000 votes.
Tejashwi’s dual-seat strategy reflects confidence following RJD’s strong 2020 showing and aims to deliver a symbolic blow to the ruling coalition while consolidating Opposition presence across key regions.