Bihar – Rashtriya Janata Dal released a comprehensive list on Monday naming RJD Bihar candidates for 143 seats in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections 2025. The announcement marks a significant development in the state’s electoral landscape, as the party has fielded its prominent leader Tejashwi Yadav from the Raghopur assembly seat in Vaishali district, maintaining the constituency’s association with the Yadav political dynasty.
The release of the RJD Bihar candidates list comes against the backdrop of an ongoing stalemate within the INDIA bloc over seat-sharing arrangements for the Bihar assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and 11. The counting and declaration of results will take place on November 14, making this a tightly scheduled electoral contest.
Tejashwi Yadav’s Strategic Constituency Choice
The decision to field Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, as one of the RJD Bihar candidates from Raghopur represents strategic continuity for the party. Raghopur has been historically significant for the RJD, and Tejashwi’s candidature from this seat reinforces the party’s commitment to maintaining its traditional strongholds while leading the opposition charge against the ruling NDA.
As a key figure among the RJD Bihar candidates, Tejashwi Yadav’s contest from Raghopur will likely serve as a barometer for the party’s overall performance in the elections. His leadership and campaign strategy will be crucial in mobilizing voters across the state, particularly among the party’s core support base.
Critical Timeline for RJD Bihar Candidates
The announcement of RJD Bihar candidates comes at a crucial juncture, as the deadline to withdraw nomination papers for 121 of the 243 seats set to go to polls in the first phase on November 6 was scheduled to end at 3 pm on Monday. By late Sunday, a total of 1,375 nominations had been accepted, indicating intense competition across constituencies.
This tight timeline puts pressure on the RJD Bihar candidates and the party organization to finalize campaign strategies, allocate resources, and mobilize grassroots workers efficiently. The compressed schedule leaves little room for last-minute adjustments or strategic realignments.
Congress Adds to Mahagathbandhan Candidate Pool
Alongside the RJD Bihar candidates announcement, the Congress party released another list of six candidates on Monday for the Bihar Assembly polls, taking the total number of candidates announced by the party to 60. The Congress list was announced post-midnight, highlighting the urgency and ongoing negotiations within the alliance.
According to the latest Congress list, the party fielded Surendra Prasad Kushwaha from Valmiki Nagar, Abidur Rehman from Araria, Jalil Mastan from Amour, Tauquir Alam from Barari, Praveen Singh Kushwaha from Kahalgaon, and Vinod Chaudhary from Sikandra (SC). These announcements complement the RJD Bihar candidates, though a formal seat-sharing deal continues to elude the Mahagathbandhan.
Seat-Sharing Stalemate Persists Despite Announcements
The release of the RJD Bihar candidates list, despite the ongoing seat-sharing stalemate within the INDIA bloc, suggests the party has decided to move forward unilaterally to meet electoral deadlines. The RJD and Congress, as the two main constituents of the Mahagathbandhan alliance, have been unable to reach a comprehensive understanding on seat distribution.
This lack of formal agreement raises questions about coordination between the RJD Bihar candidates and Congress candidates in constituencies where both parties might have interests. The absence of a clear seat-sharing formula could lead to internal competition within the opposition alliance, potentially benefiting the ruling NDA.
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High-Profile RJD Bihar Candidates Draw Attention
Among the RJD Bihar candidates, several high-profile figures have attracted attention. Reports indicate that popular Bhojpuri singer and actor Khesari Lal Yadav is among the party’s candidates, bringing celebrity appeal to the electoral contest. Such candidates often help parties reach wider audiences and attract media attention, though their electoral success depends on various factors beyond popularity.
The inclusion of diverse profiles among RJD Bihar candidates suggests the party’s strategy of balancing traditional political figures with fresh faces who can appeal to different demographic segments, particularly younger voters.
Defections and Turncoats Impact Political Landscape
Political leaders’ shifting loyalties has been a defining feature this season in Bihar’s run-up to the assembly elections, affecting the composition of RJD Bihar candidates and other parties’ lists. The latest turncoat is former MP and four-time MLA Sarfaraz Alam, who formally joined Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party.
Alam, son of former Union minister Mohammad Taslimuddin, has won the Jokihat assembly seat four times—twice on the Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket in 1996 and 2000, and twice on the Janata Dal (United) ticket in 2010 and 2015. His departure represents a loss for the potential pool of RJD Bihar candidates and highlights the fluid nature of political affiliations in the state.
Widespread Defection Pattern Affects Multiple Parties
A total of nine candidates who secured victories in previous state elections under different party banners are now contesting under new affiliations, complicating the electoral calculus for RJD Bihar candidates and opposition strategies. Following the collapse of the Grand Alliance-led government last year, seven MLAs from the RJD and Congress have switched allegiance to support the National Democratic Alliance.
All but one of these defectors have been rewarded with party tickets for the forthcoming polls, suggesting that the NDA has successfully leveraged these defections for electoral advantage. This pattern poses challenges for the RJD Bihar candidates, who must now compete against former allies in some constituencies.
Strategic Implications for Electoral Contest
The release of the comprehensive RJD Bihar candidates list for 143 seats demonstrates the party’s determination to contest a substantial number of constituencies despite alliance complications. This extensive candidate roster suggests the RJD is positioning itself as the primary opposition force in Bihar, regardless of the seat-sharing uncertainties with Congress and other INDIA bloc partners.
The performance of RJD Bihar candidates in the upcoming elections will be crucial in determining the future trajectory of opposition politics in Bihar and could influence alliance dynamics in other states as well.
