‘Badlaav Hoga’: Lalu Yadav and family cast votes as Bihar begins poll battle

Patna: As voting began for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 on Thursday, prominent members of the Yadav family: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and Misa Bharti cast their votes and appealed to the people of Bihar to participate in large numbers. Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate, exuded confidence after voting, saying, “Badlaav kijiye, naya Bihar banaiye, nayi sarkaar banaiye. 14 November ko nayi sarkaar banne wali hai.” (Bring change, build a new Bihar, form a new government. A new government will be formed on November 14.) Bihar Polls: Tejashwi Yadav casts vote, announces ‘new govt on November 14’; Full story here Lalu Prasad Yadav, showing optimism about his alliance’s chances, asserted, “Badlaav hoga” (Change will happen). Rabri Devi, also a former chief minister, urged citizens especially women and youth to step out and vote, saying, “The public will bring change. Everyone should come out and exercise their right to vote.” Appeal to Voters Across Bihar Misa Bharti, RJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP, appealed to voters to keep the state’s future in mind, stating, “Everyone should cast their vote thinking about the future of their children.” Rabri Devi also extended her best wishes to both her sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap Yadav, who are contesting separately this time. The family’s public appearance and collective message aimed to inspire high voter turnout and mobilize the RJD’s support base, particularly among young and first-time voters. PM Modi Urges Citizens to Participate Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to encourage citizens to participate in the “festival of democracy.” He congratulated first-time voters and urged everyone to prioritize voting, writing, “Pehle matdaan, fir jalpaan” (Vote first, then have breakfast). Bihar phase 1 polling underway; PM Modi urges people to vote with ‘full enthusiasm’ Phase One: A Test for Alliances The first phase of the election covers 121 constituencies across 18 districts, with around 3.75 crore registered voters. Polling began at 7 am and will determine the fate of several prominent leaders, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Mangal Pandey, and JD(U)’s Shravan Kumar and Vijay Kumar Choudhary. What Lies Ahead The second phase of polling will take place on November 11, while vote counting is scheduled for November 14. Political analysts say this election could redefine Bihar’s political landscape, as both the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan battle to shape the state’s future. With strong appeals from both national and regional leaders, Bihar’s electorate faces a crucial choice one that could set the course for the next five years.