Bihar election phase 2: Tough fights in RJD strongholds Jehanabad, Seemanchal; AIMIM plays spoilsport 

While there was a record voter turnout of 64.66% in the first phase of the Bihar elections, all eyes are on the second phase to be held on November 11. Of the 122 seats in the poll, a few important seats come from Magadh, Champaran and Seemanchal (widely known as the decider in every state elections) districts. The results of the two-stage election will be announced on November 14.

While in the first phase, dynasties and incumbent Ministers fight for the people’s mandate, in the second phase, smaller parties pose a greater threat to the Opposition bloc (RJD-Congress-Left). Tough battles will be seen in Sitamarhi, Jehanabad, Belaganj, where JDU and RJD are in a neck-and-neck battle, Kutumba and Imamganj, where HAMS is in the poll battle, and Seemanchal’s Araria, Kishanganj and Purnia, where AIMIM is trying to corner the Muslim votes.

Here are the important fights in this phase:

Sitamarhi: Sunil Kumar Kushwaha (RJD) vs Sunil Kumar Pintu (BJP)

A key seat in Sitamarhi district will witness a tough fight between BJP’s former MLA Sunil Kumar Pintu and RJD’s Sunil Kumar Kushwaha. Mr Pintu, who won the seat three times, lost to Mr Kushwaha in 2015. Sitamarhi’s incumbent MLA Mithilesh Kumar, who has a history of going back and forth between the RJD and the BJP, was dropped by the BJP and roped in Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the campaign. Trying to retain its seat in this election, the BJP has promised to build a large temple to Goddess Sita on the scale of the Ayodhya temple.

Jehanabad: Chandreshwar Prasad (JDU) vs Rahul Kumar (RJD) vs Pramod Yadav (RLJP)

Jehanabad, a Muslim Yadav-dominated district, will witness a three-cornered fight between RJD’s Rahul Kumar, JDU’s Chandreshwar Prasad and Pashupati Nath Paras’ Rashtriya Lok Janashakti Party (RLJP) Pramod Yadav. The RJD stronghold, which has held the seat since 1995 (except 2010-2015), will be a tough terrain for former MP Chandradeshwar Prasad, who once lost the Jehanabad Lok Sabha seat for the JDU. Meanwhile, it may be difficult for the RJD to get Paswan votes in the region as Mr. Paras has exited the Mahagathbandhan and fielded his own candidate for this seat. New entrant JSP fielded Abhiram Singh for Jehanabad.

Belaganj: Manorama Devi (JDU) Vs Vishwanath Kumar Singh (RJD)

While JD(U)’s incumbent MLA Manorama Devi will face RJD’s Vishwanath Kumar Singh, the rematch of the 2024 by-elections will be held in Gaya’s Belaganj constituency. The seat remained vacant in 2024 when eight-time MLA Surendra Prasad Yadav was elected to the Lok Sabha from Jehanabad. His son, Mr. Vishwanath, was defeated by Ms. Manorama, wife of former gangster Bindeshwari Prasad Yadav, who was feared in that area. The battle of Belaganj, which has a sizeable Yadav population, will decide the fate of Gaya region in this election. JSP Md. for this seat. He chose Shahabuddin.

Kutumba: Rajesh Kumar (Congress) and Lalan Ram (HAMS)

This seat reserved for the Scheduled Castes, which falls under Aurangabad district, will see a fight between the Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) which are smaller coalition partners. Incumbent Congress MLA Rajesh Kumar will face former JDU MLA Lalan Ram, who is currently in Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAMS team. As the state chief of the Congress, this election is crucial for Mr. Kumar, who is seen as the possible Deputy CM choice in the Mahagathbandhan government. His rival Lalan Ram, who lost the 2020 polls as an independent to Mr Kumar, faces a tough task as Chandrashekhar Azad’s Aazad Samaj Party fields Ram Janam Ram in a bid to win the SC/Dalit votes.

Imamganj: Ritu Priya Chaudhary (RJD) vs Deepa Kumari Manjhi (HAMS)

The dynasty and the working professionals will clash over Imamganj, Mr. Manjhi’s district. Along with his daughter-in-law Deepa Kumari, RJD and JSP fielded new faces: Ritu Priya Chaudhary, an architect by profession, and Dr. Ajeet Kumar. Imamganj, an NDA stronghold, remained with JDU and later HAMS since 1990, when Uday Narayan Chaudhary first wrested it from Srihand Singh of Congress. Ms Manjhi’s poll battle was close in November last year after JSP’s Jitendra Paswan won 20% of the votes, giving Ms Manjhi only a slim victory by less than 6,000 votes.

Araria: Abidur Rahman (Congress) vs Shagufta Azim (JDU) vs Md. Manzoor Alam (AIMIM)

Located in Seemanchal district, Araria is struggling with poverty, migration and floods in this election. Having a sizeable Muslim population, all the major candidates of NDA, Mahagathbandhan, JSP and AIMIM belong to this community. While the NDA has raised concerns about ‘illegal migration’ in Araria, Mr Owaisi’s decision to field candidates in 15 seats in Seemanchal will affect the Mahagathbandhan’s chances here. Incumbent Congress MLA Abidur Rahman is seeking a third term from Araria and JDU’s Shagufta Azim is challenging him. While JSP fielded Farhat Ara Begum, AIMIM fielded Araria in Md. He trusted Manzoor Alam.

Kishanganj: Art. Qamrul Hoda (Congress) vs Sweety Singh (BJP)

Kishanganj, another Seemanchal seat, is a stronghold of Mahagathbandhan and the BJP has never managed to win it. Kishanganj, a Muslim-majority seat, has always had a Muslim MLA and it was won by Ijaharul Hussain from Congress in 2020. Sweety Singh, who has lost the seat since 2010, came close to defeating Mr Hussain, who clinched victory by 1,381 votes in 2020. AIMIM’s Qamrul Hoda polled 41,904 votes, reducing the opposition votes. With Mr. Hoda now switching to Congress, once again Ms. Singh has moved from JSP to Md. He will face Ishaque Alam and AIMIM’s Shams Aghaz.

Purnia: Jitendra Kumar (Congress) and Vijay Kumar Khemka (BJP)

Purnia, an exception to the Seemanchal trend and communist-turned-NDA, will witness a battle between incumbent BJP MLA Vijay Khemka and Congress’ Jitendra Kumar for the third term. Promising an international airport in Purnia, the NDA aims to retain this seat for the eighth time. JSP’s Santosh Kumar Singh is also in the fray.

The first phase of polls saw a record voter turnout of 64.66% in 121 Assembly constituencies in 18 districts, with the total number of voters being over 3.75 crore. The figures better the 62.57% turnout in the 2000 Assembly elections, while the last Lok Sabha elections saw a turnout of 64.6%. Both coalitions, comprising the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Mahagathbandhan, have promised the government jobs, free energy, ration cards, education, increased salaries to farmers, labourers, fishermen and major infrastructure projects if voted to power.

It was published – 10 November 2025 17:57 IST