From family feuds to fresh political debuts, Bihar is gearing up for a dramatic first phase of Assembly polls on November 6.
The election will feature a mix of contests — from Yadav strongholds and first-time candidates stepping into the spotlight to brothers standing on opposite sides of the political divide.
In Patna, the BJP is banking on new faces, while in Lakhisarai and Kuchaikote, seasoned leaders are fighting to hold their ground.
As alliances shift and loyalties are tested, every constituency has its own story — one of legacy and ambition shaping Bihar’s political stage.
Here’s a look at some of the key battles to watch in Phase 1:
Tarapur: Samrat Choudhary (BJP) vs Arun Shah (RJD)
In Munger district’s Tarapur seat, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary is set to take on RJD’s Arun Shah in what promises to be a close and lively fight. The Yadavs form the largest group of voters, with around 63,000 people, followed by 20,000 Muslims, 50,000 upper-caste voters (mainly Rajputs and Brahmins), 40,000 Kushwahas, 35,000 Sahs and 28,000 Dalits.
Choudhary, a sitting MLC, is returning to the polls after 15 years, adding extra interest to the race. Shah had earlier contested the 2021 bypoll here but narrowly lost to JD(U)’s Rajiv Kumar Singh by just over 3,800 votes.
A familiar face in state politics, Choudhary has also been one of the BJP’s main campaigners and has been travelling across Bihar to rally support beyond his own seat.
Raghopur: Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) vs Satish Kumar (BJP)
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face, is gearing up for a high-stakes contest in Raghopur against BJP’s Satish Kumar from the NDA and Jan Suraaj Party’s Chanchal Kumar.
Tejashwi has made jobs the centrepiece of his campaign, promising a new law to ensure one government job for every family and to begin the recruitment process within 20 months. With employment a major concern across Bihar, this pledge is seen as a potential game-changer for the RJD.
Raghopur has long been a Yadav family stronghold since Lalu Prasad’s win in 1995, except for one term between 2010 and 2015 when JD(U) held the seat. Tejashwi has represented the constituency for the past two terms and is now looking to secure it once again.
Mahua: Tej Pratap Yadav (JJD) vs Mukesh Raushan (RJD)
In Vaishali district’s Mahua seat, Lalu Prasad’s estranged son and independent MLA Tej Pratap Yadav will be in the spotlight as he takes on RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Raushan, the sitting MLA, and LJP’s Sanjay Singh.
After being expelled from the RJD in May for what the party called “irresponsible behaviour” and straying from the party’s core values, Tej Pratap formed his own outfit, the JJD. His expulsion followed a controversial social media post, now deleted, where he spoke of a 12-year relationship with a woman.
Tej Pratap had earlier won Mahua in 2015 and is now hoping to reclaim it under the JJD banner. The new party brings together five smaller regional outfits — the Vikas Vanchit Insaan Party, Bhojpuria Jan Morcha, Pragatisheel Janata Party, Wazib Adhikar Party and Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party — as he attempts to rebuild his political base independently.
Alinagar: Maithili Thakur (BJP) vs Binod Mishra (RJD) vs JSP’s Biplaw Kumar Chowdhary
Folk singer Maithili Thakur, the BJP’s new cultural face, will make her electoral debut from Alinagar in Darbhanga district. She will face RJD’s Binod Mishra and JSP’s Biplaw Kumar Chowdhary in the first phase of polling.
By nominating the 25-year-old singer, the BJP aims to turn Mithila’s cultural pride into political strength. Thakur joined the party in October, soon after the BJP announced its first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar elections.
Alinagar has traditionally been an RJD stronghold, long represented by veteran Abdul Bari Siddiqui, who won seven times before stepping aside after his 2015 victory. In 2020, the seat went to VIP’s Mishri Lal Yadav – a former RJD leader who crossed over to the NDA – by a narrow margin of just over 3,000 votes.
Lakhisarai: Vijay Kumar Sinha (BJP) vs Suraj Kumar (JSP) vs Amresh Kumar Aneesh (INC)
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha is eyeing a sixth straight victory from Lakhisarai, where he will face JSP’s Suraj Kumar in the first phase of polling.
Lakhisarai has been a BJP bastion for the last three Assembly terms – 2010, 2015 and 2020 – largely driven by caste dynamics, with strong support from Bhumihars and other upper-caste groups.
A civil engineer by training and a former RSS worker, Sinha is a prominent Bhumihar leader. He made history in 2020 by becoming the first BJP member to serve as Speaker of the Bihar Assembly after the party formed the government with JD(U).
Arrah: Sanjay Singh “Tiger” (BJP) vs Vijay Kumar Gupta (JSP) vs CPI (ML)’s Quyamuddin Ansari
In Arrah, BJP’s Sanjay Singh “Tiger” will take on JSP’s Vijay Kumar Gupta and CPI (ML)’s Quyamuddin Ansari in what appears to be a three-cornered contest.
The seat has swung between the BJP and RJD in almost every election since 2010. BJP’s Amrendra Pratap Singh won in 2010 and again in 2020, both times with Ansari finishing second. In between, during the 2015 bypoll, the seat briefly returned to the RJD when Mohammad Nawaz Alam won.
Patna Sahib: Shashant Shekhar (Congress) vs Ratnesh Kushwaha (BJP)
In Bihar’s capital, the Patna Sahib seat is set for a fresh face-off as the BJP replaces veteran leader Nand Kishore Yadav, 72, with 45-year-old lawyer Ratnesh Kushwaha. The Congress has fielded newcomer Shashant Shekhar, 35, making this a contest between two first-time candidates.
An entirely urban constituency, Patna Sahib has long been a BJP stronghold. Yadav held the seat since its creation after the 2008 delimitation and defeated Congress’s Pravin Singh Kushwaha by over 18,000 votes in 2020.
For the Congress, this contest is a chance to reconnect with voters and rebuild its presence in a city where it has struggled to make a mark for decades.
Kuchaikote: Amarendra Kumar Pandey (JD(U)) vs Hari Narain Kushwah (INC)
Amarendra Kumar Pandey, popularly known as “Pappu Pandey,” continues to be a strong political presence in Bihar’s Gopalganj district. A senior JD(U) leader and sitting MLA, he represents the Kuchaikote constituency, where he has won the last two Assembly elections.
Known for improving local infrastructure and supporting agricultural growth, Pandey has built a loyal voter base in the region. His influence within the party and consistent electoral success have made him one of JD(U)’s key figures in western Bihar.
Danapur: Ram Kripal Yadav (BJP) vs Ritlal Yadav (RJD)
Former Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav returns to the state arena, contesting from Danapur on the outskirts of Patna. He faces a tough battle against RJD’s Ritlal Yadav, known for his strong local base in the area.
The seat carries symbolic weight for Ram Kripal – it borders Pataliputra, the constituency he once represented in Parliament after defeating Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter, Misa Bharti, in 2014. His return signals the BJP’s renewed attempt to reconnect with backward-class voters in the Patna region.
Siwan: Mangal Pandey (BJP) vs Awadh Bihari Choudhary (RJD)
Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, a senior BJP leader and former state party president, will contest from Siwan against RJD’s Awadh Bihari Choudhary.
A familiar face in Bihar politics, Pandey is known for his calm leadership and strong organisational skills within the party. Often seen as a steady hand in the BJP’s Bihar unit, his name has occasionally been mentioned as a possible future chief ministerial candidate. However, the NDA has made it clear that Nitish Kumar remains its CM face for 2025.
As Bihar heads into the first phase of polling, these contests will set the tone for the battles ahead.