Lalu’s Legacy Fades as His Sons Trail Early Trends

As vote counting continues for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, early trends suggest that former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav are struggling to consolidate their father’s electoral legacy. Hoping to tap into the RJD’s traditional support base, both leaders are going after their respective constituencies, raising questions about the party’s effectiveness and the prospects of the INDIA bloc.

According to Election Commission data, RJD and INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav is lagging behind in his constituency Raghopur, while Tej Pratap Yadav is facing a tough fight in his stronghold. Analysts argue that the NDA’s aggressive campaign, coupled with the RJD’s internal mismanagement, delay in candidate selection and failure to address local governance issues, has weakened the party’s traditional voter base.

Heritage Under Pressure

Lalu Prasad Yadav, who dominated Bihar politics for decades, was known for his charisma and ability to mobilize backward and marginalized communities. His tenure as Prime Minister (1990–1997) and the RJD’s later electoral successes were built on strong messages of rural connectivity and social justice.

However, current trends suggest that his sons are having difficulty turning this legacy into electoral success. Political analysts say the RJD’s repeated missteps, leadership fights and failure to project credible governance alternatives have not only damaged its prospects but also weakened the broader Mahagathbandhan alliance as voters in various constituencies are seen shifting towards the NDA.

Impact on Mahagathbandhan

RJD’s political failures are creating a ripple effect in the Mahagathbandhan, which relies heavily on the party’s organizational strength. With the NDA emerging strongly in the early leaderships, the alliance faces difficulties in consolidating the anti-NDA votes and smaller allies such as the Congress and Left parties are finding it difficult to exert influence without a determined RJD push.

Observers note that the setbacks experienced by Tejashwi and Tej Pratap could significantly impact the negotiating power of the Mahagathbandhan in post-election scenarios. Analysts also suggest that Bihar voters are increasingly prioritizing development, governance and stability over family loyalty or historic political legacy.

As the day progresses and more results come in, the performance of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s sons will be closely watched as a measure of how far both the RJD and the Mahagathbandhan fare in the fast-changing political landscape.