While the Bihar assembly election is turning out to be another record victory for chief minister Nitish Kumar's NDA, the outcome is turning out to be a disappointment for Mahagathbandhan candidates, with prominent faces trailing on their respective seats.
Though Yadav family prodigy Tejashwi Yadav was trailing in the initial trends, he is back in the race leading with 14,532 votes in Raghpur. Tejashwi's estranged brother Tej Pratap Yadav lost the Mahua seat.
The Election Commission of India began counting votes or the Bihar assembly elections 2025 at 8 am.
How are key candidates faring
Khesari Lal Yadav: Another prominent candidate, RJD's Shatrughan Yadav alias Khesari Lal Yadav, who was looking forward to making a debut this election, is also trailing in the Chapra seat.
Maithili Thakur: BJP's candidate Maithili Thakur, who was a new entrant, has made a surprise lead in the Alinagar seat with a margin of over 11,730 votes after 25 rounds of counting, the Election Commission website showed.
Tejashwi Yadav: Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan's CM face, is leading in Raghopur, a seat he has held since 2015. BJP's Satish Kumar is at the second spot trailing by 14,532 votes.
{{/usCountry}}Tejashwi Yadav: Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan's CM face, is leading in Raghopur, a seat he has held since 2015. BJP's Satish Kumar is at the second spot trailing by 14,532 votes.
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Tej Pratap Yadav: Few kilometres away in Mahua, Tej Pratap Yadav lost the Mahua seat and came third, receiving 35,703 votes. The elder Yadav sibling had floated a separate party after being expelled from the RJD. LJP (RV)'s candidate Sanjay Kumar Singh won the seat after receiving 87,641 votes.
With Khesari Lal Yadav's entry, the RJD was looking to bank on his popularity to attract voters in the Chapra region. However, Khesari, alias Shatrughan Yadav, is trailing in the Chapra assembly seat against BJP candidate Chhoti Kumari. Khesari, a well-known Bhojpuri film star and playback singer, enjoys popularity among youth across Bihar.
The Bhojpuri icon announced his entry into politics in October this year, weeks before the polls, joining the Rashtriya Janata Dal. With his entry, the RJD was aiming to harness his celebrity appeal in the western part of the state, where he enjoys significant fan following. Khesari has recieved 33,352 votes and trailing behind Chhoti Kumari with 1,960 votes after eleven rounds of counting.
As per the Election Commission website, the NDA is leading on 202 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan camp is leading on 35. The BJP remains the largest party with 91 seats.
Maithili Thakur and Anant Singh lead in Bihar
BJP's candidate Maithili Thakur, a popular folk singer, is facing RJD’s Binod Mishra for the Alinagar seat, which is one of the most closely watched contests of the Mithilanchal region.
Also Read: Bihar result 2025: Why NDA looks set to retain power, Nitish to gain strength | 3 key points
Anant Singh: Another prominent victory in this election has been that of Anant Singh, the 'Bahubali' politician, who has retained the Mokama seat. The JD(U) candidate won the Mokama seat with a margin of 28,206 votes, against Veena Devi. Veena Devi is the wife of another gangster-turned politician Surajbhan Singh.
He was earlier arrested in connection with the murder case of Dularchand Yadav, a campaigner for Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi. Mokama has been infamous for being a stronghold of "strongmen" or "bahubalis" in Bihar politics, most notably Anant Kumar Singh, his brother Dilip Singh and Surajbhan Singh.