Bihar is ready for the first major political test of 2025. On November 6, voters across 121 Assembly seats in 18 districts will step out to choose who leads the state next. This is the opening round of the two-phase election. The remaining constituencies will go to polls on November 11 closing a dramatic campaign season filled with loud rallies, sharp speeches, and high promises.

Both sides know what is at stake. The National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP and its allies JD(U), LJP, HAM, and RLM, wants to protect its hold on power, much like it did in 2020 when it edged past the Opposition with 125 seats.

Their rivals, the Mahagathbandhan, built around the RJD, Congress, VIP and Left parties, believe public mood has shifted. They came close last time winning over 110 seats, and now want to cross the finish line.

The first phase is crowded with 1,314 candidates, but a handful are defining the political mood. Familiar faces, new challengers, celebrity entries, family rivalries, and local strongmen have turned this round into a stage for high-voltage contests.

Every speech has been sharper, every crowd bigger, and every promise louder. Jobs, development, law-and-order, and dignity for young people have become the loudest demands from the ground.

And at the center of this phase stand a few seats where history, emotion, and political futures collide. Here are the key battlegrounds in Phase 1 and why they matter.

Raghopur: Tejashwi Yadav defends his fortress

In Raghopur, all eyes are on Tejashwi Yadav. The RJD leader and face of the Opposition alliance is asking voters to trust him once again, this time with an even bigger ambition: the Chief Minister’s chair. His rival is Satish Kumar of the BJP and another challenger waits in the form of the Jan Suraaj Party’s Chanchal Kumar.

Tejashwi is fighting not only for a seat but for credibility. His promise to ensure one government job per family within 20 months has stirred hope among young people who form a large part of the state’s population. For many, this is not just an election pledge but a lifeline.

Raghopur carries the legacy of his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, who turned this seat into a family turf in the mid-90s. Only once did the seat slip away in the last three decades. The voters have repeatedly trusted the Yadav family. And Tejashwi hopes that loyalty will hold as he dreams bigger.

But the BJP is pushing hard here too. They are questioning his record and asking whether promises alone are enough.

Tarapur: Samrat Choudhary returns to the field

Tarapur is watching a seasoned face return to the rough and restless ground of electoral politics. BJP’s Samrat Choudhary, now Deputy Chief Minister and a key strategist for his party, is fighting here after a gap of 15 years. Opposite him stands Arun Shah of the RJD who lost this seat narrowly in a recent by-poll.

This seat blends caste strength, personality, local history, and regional pride. Tarapur’s voter mix, Yadavs, upper castes, Kushwahas, Sahs, Muslims, and Dalits, means no single group can decide the result. Every leader must work harder here and this balance has made the battle intense.

Choudhary has been campaigning across Bihar and now he has to secure his own ground too. The RJD, sensing a chance, is attacking aggressively.

Mahua: Tej Pratap Yadav fights alone

Mahua is witnessing one of the most personal battles of this election. Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of Lalu Prasad, is here, but this time without his family’s party. After breaking away and forming his own outfit, the Janshakti Janata Dal, he is looking to reclaim his old seat and his political identity.

His opponent is Mukesh Raushan of the RJD, who currently holds the constituency, and Sanjay Singh of the LJP is also in the contest.

Mahua has seen Tej Pratap as a sitting MLA before. Now he asks voters to see him differently; not as a prince from a political empire, but as a leader in his own right.

Alinagar: Maithili Thakur’s cultural pitch meets political reality

In Alinagar, a new kind of candidate has taken the stage. Folk singer Maithili Thakur, loved by audiences across Bihar for her voice, hopes to turn culture into political strength. The BJP’s young face takes on Binod Mishra of the RJD and Biplaw Chowdhary from the Jan Suraaj Party.

For years, Alinagar has leaned towards the RJD guided by strong local figures like Abdul Bari Siddiqui. But politics can change fast. In the last election, a narrow victory by a candidate switching sides showed that loyalties can be shaken.

Maithili’s campaign is emotional and symbolic. For some voters, she represents regional pride. For others, she is still new to the world of governance. Can stardom become statecraft? Alinagar will answer.

Lakhisarai: Vijay Kumar Sinha seeks a sixth term

Lakhisarai has been loyal to one name, Vijay Kumar Sinha. The BJP leader, who also serves as Deputy Chief Minister, is aiming for his sixth win here. His challenger is Suraj Kumar of the Jan Suraaj Party.

Sinha comes from a strong Bhumihar community base, and that has helped him dominate this seat repeatedly. But each election brings new voices and fresh demands. Young voters want jobs and stability. Others talk of rising costs and safety concerns. Sinha believes his experience will reassure people. The Opposition argues it is time for a change.

This is a test not just of his popularity but of the BJP’s standing in a seat they have held for three straight polls.

Arrah: A seat that keeps swinging

Arrah has never been predictable. Power here has swung between the BJP and the RJD over the last decade, and the 2025 race remains uncertain. Sanjay Singh “Tiger” stands for the BJP, facing Vijay Kumar Gupta of the Jan Suraaj Party and CPI-ML’s Quyamuddin Ansari.

With every election, Arrah has told a different story. Some years it rewards loyalty, other years it votes for change. This time, voters say they are watching performance closely. Development, security, and welfare schemes dominate discussions.

Arrah rarely chooses the same path twice and that keeps every party on its toes.

Mokama: The strongman’s home turf

Mokama is not like other seats. It has been shaped by one man, Anant Kumar Singh. He has won here again and again, switching parties but never losing control. This year, he stands with the JD(U) after returning from legal troubles and time behind bars. The RJD puts forward Veena Devi to challenge his fortress.

Mokama’s elections have always been dramatic. People talk of loyalty, power, and influence when they talk about this seat. Singh has, at different times, contested as a JD(U) candidate, an independent, and under the RJD banner. Yet voters stuck with him.

A few evenings before this election, the former MLA was arrested by Patna police. He is accused of being involved in the killing of Dularchand Yadav, a supporter of the Jan Suraaj Party, during an election campaign in Mokama on October 30.

The question in 2025 is simple: Do they follow the man or the party? Mokama will reveal if personal charisma still beats party machinery.

As Bihar votes, every conversation circles back to similar questions. Will job promises by the Opposition shift young voters? Will the BJP’s organisation and Nitish Kumar’s network in rural belts help the ruling alliance hold firm? Are caste equations changing or simply adjusting? Is Bihar moving towards new leadership, or reaffirming the old?

For now, rallies have fallen silent and microphones are off. It is the voter’s voice that will speak next.

And Bihar waits.

In association with Asia News Network