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With the Bihar Assembly elections heating up, RJD’s initial candidate list for 143 seats sparks curiosity. How is the party positioning itself, and what impact will key names and surprising omissions have on the electoral battlefield?
RJD releases first list of candidates for Bihar Elections 2025.
Patna: The political landscape in Bihar is witnessing intensified activity ahead of the Bihar elections in 2025. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has announced its first list of candidates covering 143 assembly constituencies, signaling the party’s core strategy and key nominations. The list includes prominent leaders such as Tejashwi Yadav and popular figures from different communities, indicating RJD’s aim to broaden its electoral appeal.
The list features candidates from 38 districts, blending established politicians and fresh faces. RJD’s star campaigner, Tejashwi Yadav, has been nominated from the Raghopur seat—a move designed to consolidate his political base and reinforce his leadership credentials.
The party has also included Bhojpuri singer-turned-politician Khesari Lal Yadav, along with leaders like Smita Purve, demonstrating a mix of appeal among different voter segments. Special focus is given to backward classes and minority communities to strengthen the vote bank.
“Our differences may exist, but we are resolving disputes through dialogue. There is no hostility among us. Conversations are opening up all the paths. There is no bitterness in the alliance. Unlike the NDA, we are not fielding candidates against one another within the coalition. It is not like the NDA where people such as Chirag Paswan say things like ‘it is unfortunate that Nitish Kumar is the chief minister of North Bihar’, nobody is saying that here," Surendra Rajput told news agency.
Tejashwi Yadav to contest from Raghopur.
| S.No | District | Constituency (Assembly No.) | Candidate Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vaishali | Raghopur (128) | Tejashwi Prasad Yadav |
| 2 | Madhepura | Bihariganj (71) | Renu Kushwaha |
| 3 | Purnia | Baisi (57) | Abdus Subhan |
| 4 | Muzaffarpur | Bochahan (SC) (91) | Amar Paswan |
| 5 | Nawada | Warsaliganj (239) | Anita Devi Mahto |
| 6 | Saran | Taraiya (116) | Shailendra Pratap Singh |
| 7 | Saharsa | Mahishi (77) | Gautam Krishna BDO |
| 8 | Jamui | Jhajha (242) | Jai Prakash Yadav |
| 9 | Darbhanga | Alinagar (81) | Vinod Mishra |
| 10 | Nalanda | Asthawan (171) | Ravi Ranjan Kumar |
| 11 | Begusarai | Matihani (144) | Bogo Singh |
| 12 | Darbhanga | Darbhanga Rural (82) | Lalit Yadav |
| 13 | Muzaffarpur | Kurhani (93) | Babulu Kushwaha |
| 14 | Darbhanga | Keoti (86) | Dr. Firoz Fatmi |
| 15 | Muzaffarpur | Gaighat (88) | Niranjan Rai |
| 16 | Saharsa | Simri Bakhtiyarpur (76) | Yusuf Salluddin |
| 17 | Samastipur | Hasanpur (140) | Mala Pushpam |
| 18 | Madhepura | Madhepura (73) | Prof. Chandrashekhar |
| 19 | East Champaran | Madhuban (18) | Sandhya Rani Kushwaha |
| 20 | Gaya | Imamganj (SC) (227) | Ritu Priya Chaudhary |
| 21 | Gaya | Barachatti (SC) (228) | Tanushree Manjhi |
| 22 | Muzaffarpur | Kanti (95) | Israel Mansoori |
| 23 | Gopalganj | Hathua (104) | Rajesh Kushwaha |
| 24 | Muzaffarpur | Sahebganj (98) | Prithvi Rai |
| 25 | Madhepura | Singheshwar (SC) (72) | Chandrahas Chopal |
| 26 | Gopalganj | Baikunthpur (99) | Prem Shankar Yadav |
| 27 | Gopalganj | Barauli (100) | Dilip Singh |
| 28 | Vaishali | Hajipur (123) | Dev Kumar Chouresia |
| 29 | Darbhanga | Bahadurpur (85) | Bhola Yadav |
| 30 | Siwan | Siwan (105) | Awadh Bihari Chaudhary |
One of the most notable surprises in this list is the absence of any RJD candidate from the Kutumba assembly seat. This development is a relief for the Congress party, which now looks set to claim the seat unchallenged by RJD. The Bihar Pradesh Congress President Rajesh Ram is expected to file his nomination from Kutumba today, effectively consolidating Congress’ hold on the constituency.
The candidate list has also exposed some internal dissent within the party ranks. Leaders like Seema Kushwaha, who had campaigned extensively and expected a ticket, were overlooked. This has caused discontent among sections of the party, which could lead to challenges for RJD ahead of the elections.
The elections for the 243-seat Bihar Legislative Assembly will be conducted in two phases, scheduled for November 6 and November 11.
The vote counting will occur on November 14, with the results being announced on the same day.
