Bihar Poll Pot Boils in High-Stakes Elections 2025
High-stakes Bihar Elections 2025 warms up! (Images X.com)
Manish Kashyap to Join Jan Suraj while Rajnath Delivers Winning Mantra to BJP in Patna
By AMIT KUMAR
PATNA, July 2, 2025 – The political heat in Bihar is rising rapidly ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections, with major developments shaping the battle lines. On Wednesday, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed a crucial core group meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Patna, while the Opposition sharpened its attack on the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), particularly over the special electoral roll revision in the state.
Singh launched a scathing attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav, accusing him of disrespecting socialist icon Karpoori Thakur. Citing senior journalist Shankersen Thakur’s book Bihari Brothers, Singh recounted an incident in which Thakur, while unwell, asked his associate Shivanand Paswan to request a lift from Lalu Yadav to the Bihar Assembly. According to the account, Lalu reportedly responded that Thakur should buy a car instead.
“This is how he insulted a towering figure like Karpoori Thakur,” Singh said, quoting from the book.
Singh’s remarks echoed the BJP’s broader campaign strategy, which includes targeting Lalu Yadav, still considered the RJD’s key poll mascot. The RJD has declared Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate.
Meanwhile, the Opposition is rallying against what it sees as a backdoor implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bihar through the special electoral roll revision ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Under the revision, voters who were added to the rolls after 2003 are required to reverify their credentials—a move the Opposition says is aimed at voter suppression.
In another significant political move, YouTuber Manish Kashyap is set to join the Jan Suraj Party, founded by election strategist Prashant Kishor. Kashyap had earlier quit the BJP during a Facebook Live broadcast, citing disillusionment with the party. Though Jan Suraj secured nearly 10% of the vote in bypolls for four Assembly seats, it continues to struggle for relevance ahead of the full-scale elections for all 243 constituencies.
Political observers in Patna suggest the BJP might be looking to replicate a polarisation strategy similar to its failed attempt in Jharkhand last year. Union Minister Giriraj Singh, known for his provocative political stance, has taken an active interest in Bihar’s poll dynamics, reinforcing speculation about the BJP’s campaign approach.
On the governance front, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is defending his track record, citing the fulfillment of his flagship “Saat Nischay (Seven Commitments)” program. His government also claims to have created 50 lakh jobs in Bihar over the past five years—an assertion likely to be contested fiercely as the campaign heats up.
With alliances shifting, narratives hardening, and new entrants joining the fray, the Bihar 2025 Assembly election is quickly becoming one of the most closely watched and fiercely contested political battles in the country.
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