Bihar elections 2025: The key players and what's at stake for them

NEW DELHI: The countdown to the Bihar assembly elections has officially begun. The Election Commission on Monday announced that the polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The result will be declared on November 14. With this announcement, Bihar has entered full-fledged election mode, and political parties are already ramping up their campaigns.



Also Read: Bihar election to be held in 2 phases - check details

A lot is at stake for the state’s key players. Here's a look at it:

Nitish Kumar

The 2025 Bihar assembly election is an obvious make-or-break moment for incumbent chief minister Nitish Kumar, with both his personal legacy and his party relevance on the line. This will be Nitish’s tenth bid for the chief minister’s post after two decades of rule marked by governance reforms, social welfare programs, and, of course, the dramatic alliance shifts that earned him the nickname 'Paltu Ram'.

This time, voters will judge whether his image of the 'Vikas Purush' (development man), known for stability and law-and-order credibility, still holds - or whether political fatigue, policy stagnation, and repeated flip-flops have eroded his mandate. The biggest challenge Nitish will face is to fight the anti-incumbancy wave. The biggest challenge for Nitish is indeed to combat the strong anti-incumbency wave against his government. After almost 20 years in office, he will now have to fight the fatigue among the voters.

At 74, questions about his age and mental fitness have also entered the political debate, with opposition leaders openly raising doubts about his ability to govern effectively.

The 2025 election will therefore determine not just whether Nitish secures another term, but whether it's time for him to finally hang up his boots. It is equally significant for the Janata Dal (United)'s survival as a major force in Bihar. The results will decide whether Nitish's party maintains its independent clout or is relegated to a secondary role behind its ally, the BJP.



Also Read: EC rolls out 17 new initiatives for Bihar elections

Tejashwi Yadav

For Lalu Yadav's son and former deputy CM, Tejashwi Yadav, the 2025 Bihar assembly elections are a pivotal test of both his personal leadership and the prospects of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). This appears to be Tejashwi's best chance yet to become chief minister for the first time as the anti-incumbency fatigue against Nitish creates a significant gain. Many voters tired of Nitish Kumar's long tenure of almost 20 years are looking for a fresh alternative, which Tejashwi, as a young, dynamic leader, offers. This attracts both traditional RJD supporters and undecided or anti-establishment voters.

In the 2020 elections, under his leadership, the RJD won 75 seats, making it the single-largest party in the state and positioning him as the primary face of the opposition in Bihar. Notably, the Mahagathbandhan’s vote share lagged narrowly behind that of the NDA by just 0.03%, approximately 12,768 votes out of around 3.14 crore.

Also Read: Will arithmetic of Mahagathbandhan seat-sharing overshadow chemistry of vote yatra?
Given this near-miss, the stakes and expectations for Tejashwi are even higher in 2025 and his performance will also determine the viability of the opposition in the state.

Managing coalition friction and addressing the aspirations of a broad base, especially youth and non-Yadav OBCs, remains a critical challenge. This election will test his ability to withstand the NDA’s political machinery, carry forward his father’s legacy, and present himself as a pro-development alternative to Nitish Kumar in the state.

Rahul Gandhi

For Rahul Gandhi, this election is a crucial test of his national leadership and the revival prospects of the Congress party, with far-reaching implications for the INDIA bloc and Congress's place in opposition politics.

Given the recent repeated losses in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi, Rahul faces immense pressure to secure substantive gains in Bihar. His direct involvement this time, rallying (Voter Adhikar Yatra), crafting manifestos like the 'Atipichhda Nyay Sankalp' for EBCs, and public campaigns, puts his leadership credibility on the line, especially after past performances.

The results will reveal whether Rahul can translate high-profile campaigning into votes, or whether the JD(U)-BJP, and his ally RJD continue to dominate state politics. The Bihar elections will also be the test of Congress's groundlevel organisational skills, showing if Rahul could actually appeal to the Hindi heartland and mobilise backward and marginalised groups.

Also Read: Delhi, Jharkhand ... and now Bihar - Will BJP's 'infiltrators' strategy work?

Chirag Paswan

Chirag Paswan’s victories in Bihar have dazzled on paper but left his influence on the ground wanting. Sweeping six Lok Sabha seats in 2014, repeating the feat in 2019, and clinching all five in 2024, he has made headlines in New Delhi. Yet in the Hindi heartland, these wins have often felt more like hollow victories than a true mandate.

This time, his biggest test is to prove if he can translate national-level clout and Dalit support into a substantial assembly presence, moving beyond being a "spoiler" or a junior partner to becoming a genuine regional force in the state’s power structure. Success would elevate the LJP from relying on bargaining chips in Delhi to wielding real legislative strength in Patna, giving the party leverage in coalition negotiations, government formation, and policy direction.

The outcome will reveal whether his strategy of public bargaining and “kingmaker” posturing can convert into actual MLAs, or if it risks repeating the 2020 pattern of undermining allies without building his own base.

Prashant Kishor

What's at stake for Prashant Kishor? Everything and nothing!

The strategist-turned-politician is making his electoral debut in Bihar, attempting to disrupt an already established caste-based politics and carve a meaningful role for his Jan Suraaj Party (JSP). Kishor has announced that his party will contest all 243 assembly seats independently, refusing alliances and positioning JSP as a radical alternative aiming to break the longstanding political duopoly of JD(U)-BJP and RJD-Congress.

For him, it's a low-risk, high-reward gamble. He has declared that his party will either finish first or last, leaving no room for compromise. So this time, he will either create a new force in Bihar or fade into political irrelevance.

The key challenge lies in converting Kishor’s personal brand and strategic expertise into actual legislative seats. The outcome will likely define his future as a serious political leader and determine whether Jan Suraaj can endure beyond a fleeting political experiment.



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