Bihar Polls 2025: Tejashwi Files Amid Alliance Row

Bihar Elections 2025: Tejashwi Files Early Nomination as Alliance Seat-Sharing Stalls

The Bihar elections 2025 are heating up with Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav filing his nomination from Raghopur constituency on October 15, 2025, even as seat-sharing talks within the INDIA alliance remain unresolved. This bold move, accompanied by his parents Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, signals impatience amid ongoing negotiations with Congress and Left parties. Meanwhile, the BJP has unveiled its full slate of 101 candidates, emphasizing fresh faces, while Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj Party confirmed he won't contest, tempering expectations for a third front disruption in the November polls.

The NDA, comprising BJP and Nitish Kumar's JD(U), has locked in 101 seats each for the 243-member assembly, with voting slated in two phases on November 6-11 and results on November 20. Congress, frustrated over quota demands, announced candidates for 13 seats independently, sparking airport scuffles in Patna as workers vented against state leaders. This preemptive rush underscores the high-stakes bipolar battle, where caste dynamics and anti-incumbency could redefine Bihar's political landscape.

Tejashwi's third bid from Raghopur, a safe RJD bastion he won in 2015 and 2020, pits him against BJP's Satish Kumar, setting the tone for a fiercely contested showdown. As alliances fray, the elections promise a referendum on governance, jobs, and social justice in India's most populous state.

NDA Finalizes Candidates: BJP and JD(U) Lists Signal Strategic Shifts

The BJP's comprehensive announcement on October 15 capped a three-phase rollout, starting with 71 names and culminating in selections for the remaining 30 seats. Standouts include veteran Nand Kishore Yadav in Ramnagar, Sanjay Pandey in Narkatiaganj, and ex-minister Vinay Kumar Singh in Lauriya-choices blending experience with winnability. In a surprise, classical singer Mithilesh Thakur, who joined BJP hours earlier, secured Alinagar, highlighting the party's outreach to cultural icons for broader appeal in minority-heavy pockets.

Notably absent are incumbent MPs or Union ministers, a deliberate pivot toward grassroots leaders and newcomers to counter anti-establishment sentiments. This 101-seat allocation for BJP mirrors JD(U)'s share, with Nitish Kumar's party releasing 57 candidates, re-nominating 23 sitting MLAs including key ministers like Vijendra Prasad Gupta. The initial JD(U) list prioritizes Kurmi and Kushwaha communities, sidelining Muslims entirely-a tactical nod to core voters amid alliance frictions.

Tensions simmer within NDA too, as Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP-RV) pushes for five seats like Sonbarsa, Rajgir, and Ekma, only to find JD(U) pre-empting with its own picks. Paswan's camp hints at negotiations, but the episode reveals undercurrents in the grand alliance forged post-2024 Lok Sabha reversals.

INDIA Alliance Turmoil: Tejashwi's Nomination and Congress Revolt

Tejashwi Yadav's nomination filing from Raghopur, flanked by family stalwarts Lalu and Rabri, preempts alliance deadlock, where RJD eyes 140-150 seats against Congress's 20-25 demand. This constituency, a Yadav stronghold in Vaishali district, symbolizes RJD's resilience, with Tejashwi's 2020 margin of 37,000 votes underscoring its fortress status. BJP's counter with Satish Kumar, a local OBC face, aims to consolidate non-Yadav backwards, intensifying the personal duel in Bihar's heartland.

Congress's unilateral announcement for 13 seats-spanning Valmiki Nagar to Amarpur-escalates the rift, fielding familiar names like Muhammad Taj in Amour despite RJD overlaps. The move, greenlit by Delhi high command, irked Patna workers, who mobbed state president Rajesh Ram, election in-charge Krishna Allavaru, and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan at the airport on October 15. Scuffles ensued, with slogans decrying "Delhi's sellout," forcing leaders to flee amid security intervention.

Left allies, including CPI(ML), add intrigue by nominating Divya Gautam-sister of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput-from Digha, leveraging sympathy waves in Patna Sahib. This patchwork signals INDIA's fragility, contrasting NDA's cohesion, as polls project a neck-and-neck race with NDA at 130-140 seats.

Prashant Kishor's Exit: Jan Suraj's Third Front Ambitions Tempered

In a parallel twist, election maven Prashant Kishor on October 15 confirmed he won't contest Bihar elections 2025, dousing speculation of a Raghopur showdown with Tejashwi. Launching Jan Suraj in 2024 as a development-centric alternative, Kishor eyed 150 seats but now prioritizes party scaffolding, fielding proxies like Chanchal Singh in Raghopur. This retreat, amid internal ticket rebellions, casts doubts on Jan Suraj's spoiler potential, with surveys pegging it at 5-10 seats.

Kishor's blueprint-4,500 Jan Sabhas railing against caste and corruption-resonates in urban Patna and Gaya, but rural strongholds elude. Critics dub it a "flash in the pan," echoing his 2022 Yatra's fade, while supporters hail the non-contest as strategic, freeing him to critique Nitish's flip-flops and Tejashwi's dynasty tag.

Bihar's youth, facing 40% unemployment, may find Kishor's jobs pitch compelling, yet without his star power, Jan Suraj risks marginalization in the NDA-INDIA duopoly.

Caste Calculus and Voter Sentiments Shaping the Polls

Bihar elections 2025 hinge on caste arithmetic: NDA banks on EBCs (18%) and upper castes (15%), JD(U) consolidating Kurmis (4%), while RJD targets Yadavs (14%) and Muslims (17%). Congress's 13-seat gambit eyes upper-caste pockets, but risks alienating allies. Women voters, 48% of the 7.9 crore electorate, lean toward Nitish's welfare schemes like Kanya Vivah, potentially tipping 30-40 seats.

Urban youth decry migration and graft, favoring Tejashwi's Rs 2,500 stipend pledge, while rural seniors favor NDA's stability. C-Voter polls forecast NDA 135, INDIA 105, others 3-a razor-thin margin where Raghopur's outcome could sway alliances.

• NDA Strengths: Organizational edge, Nitish's development narrative.
• INDIA Challenges: Seat discord, Lalu's shadow.
• Key Swing Groups: EBCs, women, urban migrants.

Implications for Bihar's Political Future

Tejashwi's early filing asserts RJD dominance, pressuring Congress to concede, but risks INDIA implosion if talks collapse by October 20 deadline. NDA's lists, shunning Delhi bigwigs, localize the fight, countering "Parachute" barbs. Kishor's bow-out may consolidate votes for majors, but his critique could erode Nitish's image.

Post-poll scenarios: NDA majority ensures Nitish-Tejashwi face-off; hung house revives 2015-style realignments. Economically, outcomes dictate Rs 2 lakh crore budget priorities-jobs or sops?

As campaigns ignite, Bihar elections 2025 embody the state's perennial quest: From caste chains to progress pacts, where today's nominations forge tomorrow's mandates.