Patna: As Bihar votes in the second and decisive phase of the 2025 Assembly elections, all eyes are on 122 constituencies spread across 20 districts where several political heavyweights are battling to retain their strongholds. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm, with an estimated voter turnout of 31.38 percent recorded by 11 am. Over 4 lakh security personnel are deployed across 45,399 polling stations to ensure peaceful voting. Early reports from the Election Commission indicated that Gaya district recorded the highest turnout in the morning hours, followed by Kishanganj and Jamui, showing heightened voter enthusiasm across the state. Renu Devi (Bettiah, BJP) Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Renu Devi is contesting from Bettiah, a constituency she has represented multiple times since 2000. Known for her grassroots connection and long-standing influence in the region, she faces a direct contest with Congress candidate Washi Ahmad and Jan Suraaj Party’s Anil Kumar Singh. Tarkishore Prasad (Katihar, BJP) Another key face from the BJP, Tarkishore Prasad, a four-time MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister, is defending his Katihar seat. A veteran of the party’s organization and a long-time RSS member, Prasad faces VIP’s Saurav Kumar Agarwal, Jan Suraaj’s Ghazi Sharique Ahmad, and AIMIM’s Ahmad Raza. Bihar Elections: Will unemployment and basic civic woes decide Jehanabad’s vote? Bima Bharti (Rupauli, RJD) Bima Bharti, once a JD(U) MLA and now a prominent RJD candidate, is contesting from Rupauli. She resigned her Assembly seat last year to contest the Lok Sabha election but lost to Independent Pappu Yadav. In this election, she is facing JD(U)’s Kaladhar Prasad Mandal and Jan Suraaj’s Amod Kumar. Krishnanandan Paswan (Harsidhi, BJP) Krishnanandan Paswan, a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet, is seeking another term from Harsidhi. His primary rivals are RJD’s Rajendra Kumar and Jan Suraaj’s Awadhesh Kumar, making this a key NDA stronghold to watch. Raju Tiwari (Govindganj, LJP-RV) Raju Tiwari, the state president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), represents the NDA from Govindganj. He faces stiff opposition from Congress’s Shashi Bhushan Rai (Gappu Rai) and Jan Suraaj’s Krishna Kant Mishra in what is emerging as a three-cornered contest. Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu (Chhatapur, BJP) A consistent winner, Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu of the BJP is looking to secure his fourth consecutive victory from Chhatapur. His challengers include RJD’s Vipin Kumar Singh and Jan Suraaj’s Abhay Kumar Singh. Bihar Election 2025 Phase 2: Who will dominate the Seemanchal battleground? Shakeel Ahmad Khan (Kadwa, Congress) From the Mahagathbandhan camp, Shakeel Ahmad Khan is seeking re-election from Kadwa. A two-term MLA, he faces competition from JD(U)’s Dulal Chandra Goswami, Jan Suraaj’s Md Shaharyar, and AIMIM’s Md Shakir Reza. Deepa Manjhi (Imamganj, HAM) Representing the NDA, Deepa Manjhi, daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, is contesting from Imamganj. Her key opponents include RJD’s Ritu Priya Chaudhary and Jan Suraaj’s Dr. Ajeet Kumar. Shreyasi Singh (Jamui, BJP) Shooter-turned-politician Shreyasi Singh, a gold medalist and sitting BJP MLA, is contesting again from Jamui. Her main rivals are RJD’s Mohammad Shamshad Alam and Jan Suraaj’s Anil Prasad Sah. Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam (Jokihat, RJD) Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam, who joined the RJD after starting his career with AIMIM, is defending his Jokihat seat. He faces JD(U)’s Manzar Alam, Jan Suraaj’s Sarfaraj Alam, and AIMIM’s Mohammad Murshid Alam. High-Stakes Battle For Bihar This second phase will determine the political momentum ahead of the final counting on November 14. With Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party emerging as a third alternative, the contest is poised to be one of Bihar’s most closely watched political battles in recent memory.
