Tejashwi Yadav Confirms Dual Contest Strategy for Upcoming Bihar Polls 2025

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is set to contest from two constituencies in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, according to sources cited by NDTV. The 36-year-old former deputy chief minister plans to defend his stronghold in Raghopur while challenging the ruling Janata Dal (United) in Phulparas. This strategic move comes amid intensifying political manoeuvres in the state, where the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, led by RJD, aims to unseat the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Raghopur, located in Vaishali district, holds deep familial significance for Yadav, having been represented by his parents—former chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi—before his entry into politics. Although it emerged as a JD(U) bastion after 2010, Tejashwi secured a decisive victory there in the 2020 elections by over 38,000 votes against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Satish Kumar. This marked his second consecutive win from the seat, following a successful debut in 2015. Contesting from Raghopur again underscores Yadav's intent to reclaim his political legacy in a constituency synonymous with the Yadav family's influence within the RJD's core Yadav-Muslim voter base.

The second seat, Phulparas in Madhubani district, represents a bolder incursion into NDA territory. Currently held by JD(U) MLA Sheela Kumari, wife of a prominent party leader, it has been a consistent stronghold for Nitish Kumar's outfit since the 2005 delimitation. Sources indicate Yadav's candidacy here could test the ruling coalition's cohesion, especially given JD(U)'s fragile alliance with the BJP after multiple realignments in recent years. Phulparas, with its diverse demographic including upper castes and backward classes, has seen narrow margins in past polls, making it a potential flashpoint in the opposition's bid to consolidate anti-incumbency sentiments against the NDA's 20-year rule.

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In the wake of the Election Commission's announcement on Monday, Yadav issued an impassioned appeal on X, framing the polls as a "grand festival of change". He promised to eradicate unemployment through government jobs, vowing to accomplish in 20 months what the NDA failed to deliver in two decades. "Every Bihari will become Bihar's CM—that is, a CHANGE MAKER," he declared, urging unity to form a Mahagathbandhan government.

The elections, scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11 with counting on November 14, are poised to shape Bihar's trajectory amid ongoing debates over development, caste dynamics, and governance. As parties finalise nominations by late October, Yadav's dual bid signals a high-stakes gamble to galvanise the opposition's resurgence.

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