Bihar Elections 2025: Mukesh Sahani's VIP to back Tej Pratap Yadav-led JJD candidate in Sugauli
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: The development comes days after VIP candidate Shashi Bhushan Singh's nomination was rejected by the Election Commission of India over a technical error. Singh, a sitting MLA from the RJD, had filed his nomination as a VIP candidate.
In a major political development, Mukesh Sahani's Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) has announced that it would support Tej Pratap Yadav-led Janshakti Janta Dal (JJD) candidate Shyam Kishor Chaudhary in Sugauli assembly constituency. The development comes days after VIP candidate Shashi Bhushan Singh's nomination was rejected by the Election Commission of India (ECI) over a technical error.
Singh, a sitting MLA from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), had filed his nomination as a VIP candidate in this year's assembly elections in Bihar. The Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance had criticised the top poll body over the move, as it may give a walkover to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Sugauli seat, where polling would be held in the second phase on November 11.
The NDA has fielded Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Rajesh Kumar alias Bablu Gupta in the Sugauli assembly constituency. In the 2020 Bihar elections, Singh had received 65,267 votes (38.26 per cent) to defeat VIP's Ramchandra Sahani, who had bagged 61,820 votes (36.24 per cent). VIP had conducted the 2020 election as a constituent of the NDA.
VIP national spokesperson Dev Jyoti said the decision to back Chaudhary was taken after Sahani's party consulted other members of the INDIA bloc, including the RJD, Congress and the Left parties. Jyoti said the VIP has urged its workers and supporters to ensure that Chaudhary wins the assembly elections in Sugauli, adding that he will play a crucial role in assembly seat's development and prosperity.
Coming to Tej Pratap, the former Bihar minister had formed his own party after he was expelled from the RJD over his 'irresponsible behaviour. Tej Pratap, who has decided to contest from the Mahua assembly constituency, has alleged that some members in the RJD are conspiring against him.
Elections to the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly will be held in two phases - November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.