First phase to seal fate of Lalu Yadav’s sons, will siblings return to opposite camps?

Women voters will play important roles in the 2025 Bihar Election. (File Image)

The high-octane poll campaign for the first phase of Bihar Elections 2025 will soon end and the face of the two deputy chief ministers and the prime minister in the opposition coalition will be sealed. Bihar’s polls on November 6 will also decide the fate of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s sons. The Yadav chieftain and satrap of Bihar has been either ruling the state or influencing the politics of the state while leading the opposition for over three decades. The first phase of Bihar Assembly Election 2025 will decide the fate of his sons and some important faces of the NDA ruling group.

Tej Pratap Yadav competitions from Mahua

Voting for Lalu Yadav’s sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, from Raghopur and Mahua respectively, will be held on November 6. The Yadav chieftain’s eldest son is facing challenges from his own man Mukesh Kumar Raushan from his own pocket. There’s nothing more ironic than this. However, politics is a game of uncertainties where the most unexpected results can arise from the most unexpected place, at the most unexpected time. Who would have thought a few weeks ago that Tejaswi Yadav would contest MLA against his elder brother from a seat that was earlier easily won by Yadav chief’s brother?

(Tej Pratap Yadav competitions from Mahua.)

Tej Pratap Yadav won from Mahua for the first time in 2015 before moving to Hasanpur in 2020. This constituency has always had a strong Yadav vote base; A significant share of Scheduled Caste and Muslim voters made this district an ideal seat for the Yadav clan and the RJD, which has always relied on the MY (Muslim-Yadav) combination. An important place in the political landscape of Bihar, it has been the stronghold of charismatic leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. Lok Janshakti Party’s candidate Sanjay Singh may make the situation even more difficult for Tej Pratap. While Mahua will witness three strong contenders from three major parties, whatever the outcome, a high-profile and closely watched fight is sure to take place.

Bihar Assembly Election 2025

Hasanpur, located in Rosera sub-division of Samastipur district and once represented by former RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, has emerged as a major area of ​​interest for both JD(U) and RJD in the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections. Tej Pratap Yadav won this seat in 2020 with 80,991 votes and defeated JD(U)’s Raj Kumar Ray. 59,852 votes. But Ray turned the tables in 2015 and won with 63,094 votes. It will be interesting to see whether the people of Hasanpur will return to Ray as the leader in the upcoming 2025 Bihar Elections as Lalu’s son will not contest in this constituency this time.

Acid test for Tejaswi Yadav

Lalu’s younger son Tejaswi Yadav, the prime minister’s face in the opposition coalition Mahagathbandhan, has stepped into the district in his pocket. Lalu Prasad Yadav won this seat in 1995 and 2000 and was elected chief minister both times. His wife Rabri Devi also represented Raghopur three times, first in the 2000 by-election and later in two assembly polls. Tejashwi Yadav has been the MLA since 2015.

(Tejaswi Yadav competitions from Raghopur.)

Satish Kumar Yadav angers Rabri Devi

However, the BJP holds the trump card as it has fielded Satish Kumar Yadav against the former deputy chief minister of Bihar. He is the one who shocked everyone by creating a huge upset in 2010 by defeating Rabri Devi by a margin of 13,006 votes. While lesser-known Yadav got 64,222 votes, Rabri Devi got only 51,216 votes. However, the victory was short-lived as Satish lost to Tejashwi in both the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections.

Big fight in Lalu family castle

Tejaswi Yadav proved his popularity by winning the Raghopur seat in 2015 by a margin of 22,733 votes. While he got 91,236 votes, Satish got only 68,503 votes. Five years later, he consolidated his dominance by defeating Satish Yadav by a larger margin of 38,174 votes. While Tejashwi got 97,404 votes, Satish Yadav got only 59,230 votes. Jan Suraaj Party’s Chanchal Singh can garner a significant amount of votes and divide the electorate and prove to be what people call ‘vote katwa’ in Bihar. Analysts believe that there is a high possibility of him tapping into Tejaswi’s support base as he is the face of the constituency. Analysts do not expect a major upset from Raghopur in the 2025 Bihar Election. But since the beauty of democracy lies in unexpected results from the most unexpected quarters, the possibility of a coup exists, at least in theory.